The Day it Became a Pumpkin
by Mugsy Lennon
Summary: [set after the anime ending... with a twist.] When Haruhi fails her last attempt to stop Tamaki from leaving with Eclair, things aren't looking bright for the Ouran Host Club. In the midst of it all, Hikaru is caught between a rock and a hard place; can he get the boss back and keep his friends in check at the same time? What happens when the carriage turns back into a pumpkin?
1. One Blonde Idiot

**One Blonde Idiot**

"Hikaru! Hikaru, wake up, please!"

I could feel Kaoru's grasp on my shirt collar, shaking me as I snapped out of a fitful sleep. "What, what, what?" I gasped, grabbing hold of Kaoru's wrists to get him to stop thrashing my neck around.

"It's over," he yelped. "It's over."

I knew it was over. I had known it was over when I fell asleep, and I knew it now. Kaoru did too. Then… why was he freaking out?

I looked around. We were still in the club room, which was dark except for the single lamp on the messy table in front of me. I couldn't really see anything, but I knew the place was trashed. I had known it was trashed when I fell asleep, and I knew it now. Kaoru did too. And I couldn't see his face very clearly in the darkness but I figured I probably didn't want to.

"Hikaru, are you going to just sit here?" he cried, shaking me again. "We have to do something!"

I pried his shaking hands off of me and stood up. "Calm down, Kaoru. Turn on the lights." I heard my twin stumble to the other end of the room and Music Room 3 erupted into its usual bright and cheerful light.

But there was nothing bright and cheerful about the club room tonight.

And there definitely wasn't anything bright and cheerful about Kaoru's face. He looked like he had just killed someone.

The floor was littered with broken teacups and puddles of sticky, hours-old tea and commoners' coffee. In the center of the room was the overturned table that had only made matters worse.

It hit me, then, why Kaoru was so upset. Because it had hit him. Hard. It had started out so stupid; we really thought he would show, but then he ran away from us right before our eyes. And now here were Kaoru and I. We were standing in the wake of devastation, and even though my brother was right there with me, I felt so cold, lost, and alone.

I bent down and picked up a note that was scrawled onto a napkin and placed on the chair where I had been sleeping.

_Hikaru and Kaoru,_ it read, _I wanted to stay and make sure you guys were okay after you fell asleep, but you know how my dad gets, especially after what happened tonight. You just have to try to be brave, right? I''ll see you guys in class. -Haruhi._

I threw down the note. "Damnit," I whispered.

"Aren't you upset, Hikaru?!"

"OF COURSE I AM, KAORU!" I kicked the nearest empty coffee container and dropped to the floor in exasperation. "Why did this have to _happen_?"

You see, it all started on the final day of the Ouran Fair.

It started out as a beautiful day, and there was supposed to be a Host Club event later on that night. But it was... cancelled after, well, the incident. It hit me like a ton of bricks, what Kyoya-senpai said - the boss was departing for France after the Ouran Fair. And then, in what seemed like an instant it was just Kaoru and I in a pumpkin patch and there was nothing, _nothing_ I could do to bring that damn stupid blonde back.

_When Kyoya-senpai, Honey-senpai, and Mori-senpai eventually found us, Haruhi had already taken off to try to stop the boss. We found them just in time to see Haruhi plummeting down into the water below, the boss zipping far away in that damn red car. And while I'll never be able to prove it, I always swore I heard him scream Haruhi's name before disappearing into the setting sun._

_ "Haru-chan!" shouted Honey-senpai, running to the girl's aid. We all ran after him, Kaoru practically clinging to me as I stumbled forward in desperation, my heart pounding mercilessly against my ribcage. My right arm burned in agony, and I wasn't sure if I was screaming or if it was just the voice in my head. Not only was the boss now gone and out of our reach, but Haruhi was likely hurt, if not worse. I watched as the others struggled to find her, but with my arm, there was nothing I could do to help._

_ Suddenly, Kyoya-senpai shouted, "I found her!" He pulled Haruhi to shore, all of us gathering around, hoping to God she was okay._

_ "You okay?" I whispered to Kaoru, who appeared next to me, panting._

_ He nodded. Then he replied, "Are you?"_

_ I didn't answer. I didn't know._

_ Haruhi coughed and sputtered, clinging to Kyoya-senpai's soaked sleeve. "No use going to look for him," she murmured weakly. "He's long gone…"_

_ "Haru-chan, are you okay?" asked Honey-senpai._

_ "Please, I just want to get out of here!"_

_ We ended up back in the club room in silence, having cancelled our events for the evening. We knew the whole school would be wondering why the Host Club had locked themselves in Music Room 3 instead of joining in on the fun we'd normally go for, but for the time being it didn't really matter._

_ We had all changed back into our school uniforms, leaving our wet and dirty clothes out to dry. Kaoru and Kyoya-senpai had insisted I have a doctor look at my arm, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it when there were more important things to worry about._

_ And then, with tension running high, matters only got worse._

_ CRASH!_

_ My hand flew to my mouth as the table launched itself away from us, spewing tea, coffee, and cake all over Haruhi, who could only sit there in shock and block her face from the artificially sweetened avalanche we couldn't possibly stop._

_ "...Oops," was the only reaction Kaoru could manage to croak out._

_ "Damn," I whispered._

_ Kaoru looked genuinely horrified with himself, and I honestly didn't know what else to do but pat him on the shoulder._

_ Haruhi sat in complete surprise for what seemed liked eternity, and I couldn't tell whether she was about to laugh or cry, or maybe both._

_ "Hey, it was an accident," I explained to no one in particular. "Right, Kaoru?"_

_ My twin didn't respond. He was too busy trying to fix the mess he had just made._

_ It was strange, really. Usually I was the only who messed up. Kaoru was usually the level-headed one, but any sense of normalcy we had developed went out the window when the boss left us all behind._

_ "All of that broken tableware is going to cost us a fortune, Haruhi," Kyoya-senpai hissed. "I thought your debt had been taken care of this afternoon, but I suppose you'll be working up a new one." He began taking note of the damages in his sleek black notebook._

_ Haruhi snapped out of her trance at the Shadow King's voice. "Give it up, senpai!" she cried._

_ The room fell silent. He looked up, completely straight-faced, but you could almost see the death stare in his eyes through the glare of his glasses. I don't think I'd ever heard anyone defy Kyoya-senpai - maybe the boss, but definitely not Haruhi._

_ "It's useless, don't you understand? He's gone, and he's not coming back. The Host Club is done."_

_ Kyoya-senpai's face fell. I didn't know what to do. Kaoru was still frantically trying to clean up; he hadn't spoken a word, and I was too worried about him to do anything about the horror that was unfolding around me. It was conflicting and frustrating, especially when the crash of more teasets echoed through the room, along with Honey-senpai's shocked and concerned wail of, "Kyo-chan!"_

_ Kyoya-senpai had thrown a single teacup to the floor, along with his notebook. We were all completely caught off-guard. Before I knew it, the room was in shambles, as was the close-knit family of hosts that seemed so important to Kaoru, who still couldn't say a word. So when the eerie silence that followed the catastrophe was broken by Kyoya-senpai's cold but almost guilty-sounding voice that said,_

_ "I suppose we're done here." Kyoya-senpai picked up his notebook stood there for a moment before walking out the door and turning down the hall. Before I knew it, Honey-senpai had left on Mori-senpai's shoulders and the only ones left in the room were Haruhi, myself, and Kaoru, who was now standing close beside me. I guess the usually-composed Kyoya-senpai's departure snapped him out of whatever state he was in. The three of us went over to the window to see Kyoya-senpai walking through the roses, throwing his notebook to the ground and kicking it as far as he could. The fireworks were beginning, signifying that everyone else was happy and enjoying themselves while we had locked ourselves away._

_ "...I'm gonna go see if I can get this stain out," Haruhi muttered before leaving Kaoru and I alone._

_ "...Kaoru, it's not your fault, you know," I assured my brother. "That table wasn't even the half of it."_

_ "I know," he replied. We sat down by the window._

_ Eventually I dozed off to the sound of Kaoru's heavy, sporadic breathing._

_ My brother was broken. The Host Club was broken. And somebody would have to put it back together again._

I was able to convince Kaoru to leave with me so we would be home before it got too suspicious. I placed a reluctant hand on the cold metal handle, and I was surprised when Kaoru's shaky hand appeared beside it.

"Let's open the doors together," he suggested with a fake smile.

_It smashed my heart into a thousand tiny, unsalvageable pieces_. But I nodded. "Ready, set…"

I twisted my wrist and pushed the door open, hearing the welcoming creak that I was afraid to admit I'd never hear again.

And when we opened the door, we said goodbye to the Host Club.


	2. Two Locked Doors

**Two Locked Doors**

Out of habit, Kaoru and I went to Music Room 3 the next morning during our usual club time, weary and devastated, and even though I knew the doors wouldn't be open, a little piece of me was hoping they would be.

We found Haruhi already standing in front of the re-abandoned music room, looking dejected.

"Were you hoping it was gonna be open?" I called.

The girl turned in surprise. "Yeah, no sense denying it, I suppose."

I shrugged. "We were too."

"I can't believe it's really over," Haruhi sighed. "I really thought senpai would change his mind. I didn't know he was really this serious."

Kaoru shook his head and muttered, "When I said the carriage would turn back into a pumpkin, this wasn't what I meant…"

"What?" I said, confused.

"It's nothing." He looked upset. "I just wish things could go back to the way they were."

Haruhi said, "Well, now we have a free period. What are we supposed to do now?"

I shrugged, and Kaoru sighed. "Listen, Haruhi, I'm really sorry," he said. "It's my fault this happened."

"Kaoru…" I whispered, draping my arm over my twin's shoulder. It hurt me to see him like this.

Haruhi shook her head and turned around. "It's not your fault. I'm going to go find a place to study." As she walked away down the hall, I noticed the stains up and down her jacket. It was hard to look at.

"Hey Haruhi, wait!" I called. She turned around. "Are you feeling okay? You know, after yesterday evening."

Haruhi frowned and shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "Okay as I'll ever be, I suppose."

"W- Why don't we come with you?" I suggested.

"Why?"

"I guess I'm a little worried."

Haruhi smiled. "I guess you have the right to be," she admitted. "But I'll see you guys at lunch."

Kaoru and I trudged through the hallway as if our feet were weighed down by ball and chain. My heavy heart was light as a feather in contrast to Kaoru's. His eyes were bloodshot and glistening with the remnants of the tears he had cried all night.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Kaoru asked.

"I hope so," I replied. "She refused to be seen by a doctor, but she's so stubborn that it doesn't surprise me."

"Sounds like someone else I know." Kaoru was smirking at me.

I glanced down at my arm in its sling. Our mother had insisted I have it taken care of after we broke down and told her what had happened. I shook my head. "What do you think the others are up to?"

"I don't know; Kyoya-senpai seemed to be having a hard time last night after we pretty much trashed the place." Kaoru's voice trailed off. _Don't blame yourself, Kaoru..._

"Do you think we should try to find him?"

"I think we should give him some time."

I nodded, and my twin and I continued to roam the halls until our classes began.

Haruhi was pretty quiet throughout class, but then again she never was very talkative. At lunch, we left her alone to eat in the classroom like we always did. Kaoru and I walked slowly down the hall, as we didn't really want to come into contact with anyone wondering what had gone wrong with the Host Club and whether or not their prince charming Tamaki Suoh was really gone for good.

We never made it to the lunchroom. The shout came before we had even made it to the stairs.

"Hikaru, Kaoru!" came Haruhi's urgent voice. We turned simultaneously and saw her running towards us. I was about to say something to Kaoru when Haruhi collapsed to the ground down the hall.

"Haruhi!" I yelled. Kaoru and I dashed over to her and knelt by her side.

"Haruhi, are you okay?" Kaoru asked with a hint of guilt in his voice. _There he was, blaming himself again_.

"I- I think I'm okay," Haruhi tried to assure us. "Just… dizzy."

"Have you felt like this since last night?" I asked, holding out my good hand to help her sit up.

Haruhi shook her head. "No, I felt fine physically. I don't think I hit my head or anything…"

Something occurred to me. "Haruhi, when was the last time you ate?"

"Well, I skipped breakfast yesterday, and I was too upset to eat during the Ouran Fair… I guess not since dinner the other night."

Kaoru sighed and said, "Then come on, we'll buy you lunch."

"Oh, I couldn't."

I stood up and helped Haruhi to her feet. "Well, we're not going to let you get sick, so I think we know who the winner is."

"Fine, fine, but nothing too fancy!"

Kaoru and I exchanged glances and walked to the lunchroom, Haruhi between us, using Kaoru's left arm for support.

The three of us managed to avoid the burning stares of our concerned and confused classmates while we ate our lunch. However, I couldn't avoid the hole in my heart that ached whenever I looked up and saw Kyoya-senpai in the corner by himself.

I found it hard to sleep that night. I could hear Kaoru pacing the room or crying every so often. I just wanted him to talk to me. I was supposed to be the overly-emotional one, not him. But then again, he was the most attached to the Host Club.

"Kaoru, you alright?" I whispered, standing over my brother and shaking him.

Kaoru rolled over and looked up at me. "Hikaru, I'm so angry!" he told me. _Well, that was obvious._ "How could the boss just end it all? And now Haruhi's hurting! It's all my fault!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, get up, Kaoru," I said, dragging my brother out of bed. "It's _not_ your fault, and you know it. What happened last night did not make the boss leave, remember? And it's not what hurt Haruhi either."

"It is too my fault, Hikaru! The Host Club was the only thing that made us happy, and I blew it!"

"Kaoru, you're supposed to be the sensible one! It's _not_ your fault!"

"You're the one who's not being sensible!"

"Well moping isn't gonna fix anything, is it, Kaoru?!"

"DAMMIT, HIKARU," Kaoru shouted, covering his face with his hands. He flopped back down onto the mattress. I'd painted him into a corner.

I jumped onto the bed and pinned my ballistic brother against the sheets. "It's not your fault, do you hear me, Kaoru?!"

Tears were filling Kaoru's bloodshot eyes. "GET OFF ME, DAMMIT!" He thrashed his legs around, attempting and failing to knock me off of him.

"We have to fix the Host Club, don't you understand?! You're always so insistent on me acknowledging how important that damn club is, and now you're just gonna lay here and scream and cry for the rest of your life? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?"

"Dammit, Hikaru, stop! Just stop!"

I slapped Kaoru hard across the cheek. "GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF! _I'M _THE CRAZY ONE!"

Kaoru broke free from my grasp and threw his arms around me. "...I don't know what I'm gonna _do_," he exclaimed in exasperation. "That club meant so much to me!"

"No, Kaoru," I said. "It meant so much to both of us."


	3. Three Sarcastic First-Years

**Three Sarcastic First-Years**

"I've been thinking, guys," Haruhi began, sitting between Kaoru and I by the pond outside Ouran Academy, "Should I give up this facade of masquerading as a boy now that the Host Club is no more?"

"No!" I blurted before I could stop myself.

Kaoru and Haruhi stared at me. I blushed.

"I mean… the Host Club might not be gone for good."

Haruhi shrugged. "If you wanna get your hopes up, whatever. It doesn't really matter me anyway, whether people see me as a boy or a girl."

Kaoru interjected with, "Speaking of the Host Club, what do we do about Renge?"

My brother had me stumped. He was back to his clear-thinking self, I guess. I hadn't even thought about Renge. "Huh," I said. "I guess she's a problem."

"If anybody would want to know the juicy details about what happened to the Host Club, it would be Renge," Haruhi said in agreement, leaning her head back on her hands.

"You seem pretty calm about all of this," I pointed out to the awfully laidback crossdresser. "I thought this would send you over the deep end, to be honest."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean? Besides, I am pretty upset about it. I'm just better at keeping my emotions under control than you, Hikaru." Haruhi smirked.

Kaoru snickered. I glared at him. Then I sneered, "Kaoru has no right to laugh."

Kaoru frowned. "You're so cruel, Hikaru," he whined with mock embarrassment.

"Oh, Kaoru," I cooed with a faint chuckle.

Haruhi sighed. "Can you quit with the brotherly love act? I'm not one of your customers."

"Don't pretend you're not enjoying it," I teased. Kaoru laughed.

Haruhi rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Drop dead," she murmured.

"I'll admit, though," Kaoru added, "I kinda miss entertaining the ladies."

"Me too," I admitted.

"I can't say I miss entertaining girls all that much," said Haruhi. "But I do miss the club."

I nodded and glanced behind me to see Honey-senpai standing a short distance away, Mori-senpai trailing behind. He put a finger to his lips, and I turned around, trying to hide the smile creeping onto my face.

"Haru-chan, Kao-chan, Hika-chan!" came the jovial shout from behind us, sending Kaoru leaping out of his skin with a yelp. But Haruhi was unphased.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I heard you coming, senpai," she told the disappointed third-year.

I laughed out loud at Kaoru's reaction. He glared at me and threatened to "come over there and slap that grin off my face." This only caused me to laugh more. Haruhi, Honey-senpai, and Mori-senpai only watched our antics.

"Hey, I'm injured, Kaoru," I said, gesturing to my right arm in its sling.

Kaoru sighed. "Right, your arm. Fractured, broken, whatever the hell is wrong with it."

"You know very well that I don't know yet, Kaoru, and besides; having to stop your fits last night didn't help."

Kaoru fell silent at that. I immediately regretted the words as soon as they came out of my mouth. My comment earlier about him having no right to laugh was one thing, but this was cruel on a whole different level. I could tell Kaoru was genuinely embarrassed, and everyone else genuinely confused. _This was starting to tear us apart at the seams, wasn't it?_

"Listen, Kaoru, I didn't mean-"

Kaoru's face fell. I had broken him again, just as he was starting to seem better. I saw the upset, angry tears well up in his eyes as the other three former hosts watched the scene unfold.

"Kaoru, I just…" I extended my good arm and sighed. "Come here."

My identical twin flew into my waiting arms - well, arm - and crashed, a perfect mirror image of myself crumbling into my shoulder in desperation. It was like watching a part of myself die.

"It's okay, Kaoru," I assured my brother. "You'll be okay. We'll be okay." But deep down, I really didn't believe it.

"Are you two gonna be okay?" I heard Haruhi ask finally.

"Mm," Mori-senpai grunted in concurrence.

"Is Kao-chan alright?" asked Honey-senpai.

I nodded and patted my heavy-hearted brother on the back. _I hoped he was, anyway_.

"It's almost time for class, Kaoru," I said quietly. "I'm sorry, okay? But it's time to stop blaming yourself for something you can't change."

"I know," he whispered.

Haruhi approached us in understanding. Of course she could see what was going on. She always saw through us. "Kaoru, you know none of us blame you, right?" she asked gently. "It couldn't have been your fault. What you did didn't do any harm. I'm not even hurt."

Kaoru composed himself and thanked her for trying to help him, even though he was still upset about dissolution.

I turned to my right; Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai were gone. I guess they were uncomfortable with the situation. No matter; it was time for the three of us to head to class anyway. However, I couldn't help but hope we would meet up with them again later. I missed the club now that I never saw them anymore.

"I'm going to make a quick run to the bathroom," Kaoru said with a deep breath. "You gonna come along?"

"Nah," I said, shaking my head. "I'll wait here for you, and then we'll go to class."

Kaoru ran inside. Haruhi turned to me and frowned.

"So he's pretty upset?" she asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Yeah," I replied with sadness. "Last night I had to calm him down a couple times. He blames himself, you know? It meant a lot to him - you know, the Host Club."

"Yeah. Do you think he'll be okay?"

I shrugged. "I hope so. I really hope so."

"Not to take the spotlight off of Kaoru, but I'm worried about Kyoya-senpai too."

I frowned. "I haven't seen him since that night."

Haruhi fiddled with her tie. "I've been wondering just how long it will be before we all begin to regress back to the people we were before the Host Club."

My stomach lurched at that comment. I hadn't even thought of the possibility of that happening. "W- What makes you say that?"

Haruhi's voice fell. "Didn't you notice? Honey-senpai didn't smell like cake." She stretched and picked up her bag.

I frowned. "You must be observant."

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Well, doesn't Kaoru's current state spark some worry?" She began walking towards the door, smiling with a knowledgeable gleam in her eyes. "I'm gonna go on ahead to class. Perhaps that will give you a minute to… sort this out."

She disappeared into the door, raising her eyebrows at Kaoru as they passed each other on his way back outside.

_Damn,_ I thought before jogging towards Kaoru. _She's good._


	4. Four Urgent Voicemails

**Four Urgent Voicemails**

_"Why are you so upset when you know it's not your fault?"_

_"Well, I'm just angry that he could leave us like this. I can tell you're secretly more upset than I am."_

I spit into the sink and stared at myself in the mirror for a few moments. Pulling my Ouran necktie tight, I exited the large bathroom that Kaoru and I shared to find him in our room on my phone.

"Uh-huh… I understand," he said into the phone, nodding to me in acknowledgement. "We'll see you at school… No, I haven't listened to them yet. I've been waiting for Hikaru… Alright. See you then." Kaoru hung up and turned to me. "It was Haruhi, so I decided to answer it."

"What did she say?"

"She said she got an interesting call overnight. She says it's important."

I drew in a quick breath. The weekend had passed, and we'd heard nothing of the other hosts. "Well, we'll see her at school," I said.

Kaoru placed the phone in my hand. "I'm afraid it's a bit bigger than that, Hikaru," he said. "Haruhi said she left you two voicemails… you have three."

I frowned and flipped open my phone, Kaoru hovering over my shoulder as I played the voicemails on speaker.

The first was from Haruhi, sent at 2:14 AM.

_"You wouldn't believe the call I just got. I know it's the middle of the night, but you HAVE to pick up!"_

We didn't know who the second one was from, because they hung up upon being sent to voicemail. It was sent at 3:27 AM.

The third was Haruhi again, sent at 5:42 AM.

_"What time do you wake up?! Damn rich people, this is important!"_

I felt sick to my stomach. Who had called her?

"Come on, Kaoru," I said firmly. "Let's get to school." My twin and I skidded through the hallway on socked feet, taking the stairs two at time and practically leaping into our shoes and out to the waiting car.

"Hikaru, hurry up!" Kaoru whined as I struggled to fasten my seatbelt with my left hand.

I kept missing. "I'm trying!" I groaned bitterly. "I'm not used to using my left hand!"

"Do you want me to help you again?" asked Kaoru with an irritated sigh.

"No!"

I heard Kaoru mutter, "Stubborn cripple..."

The seatbelt clicked. "Got it!"

The limo took off at maximum speed, barely meeting the speed limit as my brother and I squirmed anxiously in the back. I was a bit afraid to find out who had called our normally composed friend that made her so uneasy, but at the same time I just had to know. When the limo pulled up to the school, I practically shoved Kaoru out the door. We found Haruhi in what was now our usual meeting place, near the pond. She waved us over with urgency, flipping open the cell phone we had given her and frantically pushing buttons.

"I recorded the call when I realized who it was," she told us when we got to where she was waiting. She motioned for us to follow her into the rose garden (which for whatever reason was more like a maze) where it was quieter and into the first gazebo we came across. She put the phone down on the small table in front of us, and Kaoru and I crowded around it anxiously. The recording started in the middle of a sentence.

_"-addy,"_ came the instantaneously familiar voice, _"Are you there, Haruhi?"_ My eyes grew wide. Kaoru clamped a hand over his mouth to hide his shock. _"I know you picked up the phone." _There was a sigh. _"I guess I'll try to call the others, then, before Eclair breaks this phone too… I'm not supposed to be speaking to you guys you know."_

_"Senpai, wait," _came Haruhi's shaky voice.

He hadn't seemed to have heard her. _"Daddy loves you, Haruhi. Goodbye." _The call ended.

My head was spinning. He had _called_ her.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" I asked the short brunette to my right, horrified that she had the chance to talk to him and missed it.

"I'd like to see your reaction if Tamaki-senpai were to call you in the middle of the night!"

"I guess that's who left that blank voicemail, Hikaru," Kaoru concluded. I figured he was right.

"Ugh, now I feel sick," I moaned, covering my face with my hands.

"It's okay, Hikaru," Kaoru gulped, coming over to sit on the other side of me, putting me in the middle.

_"I can tell you're secretly more upset than I am_."

I was starting to realize what he meant. Kaoru was starting to be calmer about the whole thing, and here I was, only getting worse.

Haruhi inquired, "Why is it you guys are grieving so much over this? I don't think I've EVER seen you guys so upset all the time."

Kaoru sighed. "All we ever had was each other until the Host Club came around," he explained.

"And now the very thing that brought us together could be the thing that tears us apart," I added.

Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai found us, and Haruhi showed them the phone call. Honey-senpai looked like he was going to cry but, unusually enough, held back the tears. I noticed he didn't have Usa-chan with him.

"Do you think Tama-chan will come back?" he questioned Mori-senpai sadly.

Another voice answered for him. "I'm afraid we don't have that kind of time to waste, Honey-senpai."

Kaoru and I looked up. "Kyoya-senpai?" I exclaimed.

Kyoya-senpai had appeared, looking more or less like his old self, though something about his expression and the way he presented himself didn't seem quite right. "Glad to see you remember my name, Hikaru," the sarcastic Shadow King taunted. "I thought I heard you all out here. It appears I was correct." I frowned, not even noticing how easily he told us apart.

I looked to Haruhi, who was observing senpai closely, watching his every movement for signs of something gone awry. "Where have you been?" she questioned him.

Kyoya-senpai frowned. "Where I have been is unimportant," he chided her. "Now, I must remind you all that we have roughly a week until spring break. Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai are going to be graduating, and that leaves us very little time to act. I'm afraid that if our king does not return by the start of the next term, the Host Club will be gone for good."

I began to feel sick again.

"Does that mean we have to get the boss back by the end of spring break?" asked Kaoru.

Kyoya-senpai shook his head. "If only we had that kind of time," he responded with a sigh. "I actually spoke to Tamaki last night, believe it or not. I originally sent him straight to voicemail out of panic, but the message sounded so urgent I felt the need to return the call. But I'm afraid that will be it for phone calls, for it seems Eclair will not allow him to speak to his friends, especially after what was said as they were departing." He looked at Haruhi, who averted her eyes. "Perhaps we'll hear that story later. Now, most importantly, I regret to inform the five of you that Tamaki and Eclair will be wed this coming Sunday, meaning we have less time than expected."

Honey-senpai cried out, "But that's the day before the graduation ceremony! How are we supposed to get Tama-chan back before then?"

I felt Kaoru grab hold of my hand.

"After several days of agony, frustration, and solitude, I have come up with a plan," announced Kyoya-senpai. "However, it entails us involving, of all people, Renge."


	5. Five Not-So-Powerful Motor Rumbles

**Five Not-So-Powerful Motor Rumbles**

The question was on the tip of my tongue, begging to be asked, causing me to fumble over my words. I couldn't exactly go around asking these kinds of questions whenever I so desired; not at times like this. It would be bold of me - cruel, even - to meet the newfound sense of optimism in the air with so serious an inquiry. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but wonder about senpai as the six of us sprinted down the corridor, Kyoya-senpai clutching his dirt-covered and slightly torn notebook in one hand and a set of keys in the other.

We followed the glasses-clad teenager across the school, and it rapidly became apparent where he was leading us. The top floor of the south wing… at the end of the northern hallway… and at last we came to the unmistakable pink double-doors with gold-plated handles. And above the door was the all-too-familiar sign that read, "Music Room #3."

"Surely you were all aware that as vice-president," Kyoya-senpai teased with a grin, holding up a single key that was painted the same color as the doors in front of us. "I have the key to Music Room 3." I watched his slender hand unite the key with its lock, and I noticed the slight trembling in his fingers, as if he was afraid to even open the door. It was at that moment that he hesitated, and in his eyes was a reluctant gaze that scanned the rest of us, as if asking for some sort of closure or confirmation. I did the only thing I could think to do; I nodded. But that didn't seem to be enough, or perhaps he didn't notice.

"Kyoya-senpai, are you alright?" Haruhi asked cautiously.

I fiddled with the bindings on my right arm to avoid spewing the question on my mind. I felt Kaoru prop an arm on my shoulder.

"Something wrong?" he muttered so only I could hear it. I shook my head.

I heard a click and redirected my attention to Kyoya-senpai, who hadn't responded to Haruhi but had finally opened the door. He sighed dramatically upon entering, and we followed behind, Kaoru holding his breath.

Nobody had bothered to clean the place up, so it was still just as I remembered it before Kaoru and I left the room for what felt like the last time.

"Depressing," muttered Mori-senpai, earning a whimper of concurrence from his cousin.

"So how are we supposed to summon Renge, assuming she's even in here?" Haruhi murmured, examining the sleeve of her blazer.

We were both startled out of our absurd trances when the sound of a powerful motor bellowed from under the floor, only it didn't really sound so powerful, at least not as I remembered it. The noise ceased before starting back up again, and again, and again.

_"COME ON, STUPID CONTRAPTION!"_ came a vehement snarl from underneath us. The sound started back up once more before the center of the room opened up and Renge rose up from the floor as she always did.

"Oh, how our beloved heroes have fallen!" she exclaimed dramatically, sprawled out on her platform with a track playing in the background and skipping like a broken record. "The flames of _moe_ burn no more!"

"Renge, we would like to request your help with something very important," Kyoya-senpai urged. I was surprised. Someone as level-headed and smart as him asking _Renge_ for help?

Renge wailed, "The brave men of the Host Club need _my_ help? What has become of this once happy group of attractive and arguably homosexual men? You must tell me what has happened to that phony prince!"

Kyoya-senpai stared cynically at Haruhi, looking for answers in that shady Shadow King way of his. "I believe that is partially Haruhi's story for the telling," he said.

Haruhi sighed. "I guess you want the bridge story, right, senpai?"

Kyoya-senpai nodded firmly.

"Can't that wait until… later?" _We all knew she was talking about when Renge wasn't with us._ "It's kind of… important."

"We don't have time for that, Haruhi. Tell us all what happened." The vice-president rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Senpai, I don't think you understand that I _can't_ tell the story right now."

I bit my lip, looking for an escape. It was awkward to watch them have at each other's throats like this. They normally got along extremely well; but perhaps the stress was getting to both of them.

Kaoru cleared his throat. "Maybe we should listen to Haruhi on this one, senpai," he suggested warily.

"Yeah, Kyo-chan," agreed Honey-senpai.

"I'm curious as to what this story holds," I admitted. My comment, however, was met with a series of groans from the other hosts.

"Hikaru, you dumbass…" mumbled Kaoru.

Haruhi rolled her eyes and grabbed my wrist. "Hikaru, can I, uh, talk to you outside for a second?" she asked with false nonchalance.

"Uh, sure," I replied, following Haruhi out into the hallway.

"How stupid are you, really?" she hissed when we were out of earshot.

I was taken aback. "What happened on that bridge that you're afraid to talk about with Renge around?"

Haruhi facepalmed. "The problem is, I'm a girl, and I'm afraid of letting on to that fact."

I sighed. "Well, if senpai's plan depends on it…"

"Hikaru, I really miss Tamaki-senpai, okay? And the horrified look on his face as he sped away with no way to save me from plummeting to my death is an image I can never unsee." The girl tried to collect her thoughts as I led her back into the club room, where Kyoya-senpai and Kaoru were explaining to Renge what had happened to Tamaki. Kaoru looked to us with concern.

"Ah, you're back," said Kyoya-senpai. "Are you going to tell us your recollection of the story?"

_How come Kyoya of all people didn't understand what Haruhi was trying to say?_ "Now's not the time, senpai," I insisted firmly. He seemed to understand then.

"Very well then," Kyoya-senpai said with a nod. "At any rate, I would like to request something of you, Renge."

"Ask away," sighed the otaku.

"I have yet to run this by the club, so expect some protest," disclaimed Kyoya-senpai. "Now, as you are well aware, my family has been experiencing negative relations with Grand Tonnerre, due to my father's company almost being bought out by the French industry in question, missed by a narrow margin thanks to my quick thinking." _Is he bragging?_ "It is imperative that my impending mission remain secret to avoid unnecessary conflict. You being from France, I feel that it is essential that we include you in this mission."

Renge nodded. "What exactly is it you need?"

"Steering clear of my father's company, I would like you to help us infiltrate enemy lines, so to speak. I know you are quite skilled in regards to costuming and the like."

Haruhi stifled a chuckle beside me. Kyoya-senpai was being such a kiss-up, really. I rolled my eyes. On the other hand, what was he planning, exactly?

Renge began to descend into the floor again. "I accept. Anything for the Ouran Host Club!"

"Wonderful. I'll be in touch with you." He turned to us and grinned.

"What are you planning, exactly, senpai?" asked Kaoru.

Kyoya-senpai reached into the pocket of his blazer and whipped out six plane tickets. He smirked.

There was a unanimous gasp from the rest of us, with the exception of Haruhi, who asked, "Wait, we're not taking Renge?"

Senpai looked unamused. "Hell no we're not taking Renge."

"We're really going to go?" I asked in surprise.

"If all goes as planned, yes," replied Kyoya-senpai matter-of-factly. "Lady and gentlemen, we're going to France."


	6. Six Anxious Hosts

**Six Anxious Hosts**

With six days until the impending wedding, it was the last week of the term; today was Monday, and since we had taken finals the week before, it left a pretty much useless week of end-of-the-year activities we had no interest in anymore. So Kyoya-senpai "pulled some strings" as he called it and got us excused until the day of the graduation ceremony, a week away.

Our plane to France was to leave at 8 AM. We were flying courtesy of Honey-senpai's family, because Kyoya wanted to avoid any and all contact with his father's company, and since the Ootoris and the Houshakujis were in business, he figured consulting Renge on this one would be a bad idea. Either way, the six of us had been anxiously awaiting the morning of our flight for the past couple of days. These had been agonizingly stressful days consisting of planning for the trip, and of Haruhi avoiding the subject whenever senpai asked for information.

I was surprised that Haruhi's dad was even allowing her to go to France with us.

I was even more surprised at the wake up call I got at five in the morning - the sound of Kaoru crying out. My eyes shot open. I scrambled frantically out from under the covers, thrashing the sheets about until I was standing over my brother, gripping him by the shoulders and shaking him awake. "Kaoru!"

A pair of jade green eyes blinked up at me, and I felt like I could hear his heart beating in time with my own. "Kaoru," I breathed, "Are you alright?"

Kaoru sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. I sat beside him and placed my hand over his. "I was having a nightmare," he explained.

I squeezed Kaoru's hand. "...We're not getting the boss back, are we?" I asked in a whisper.

Kaoru gave me a small smile, seeming to glow in the predawn light streaming through the window. "I can't say I'm exactly optimistic about it either. That's actually what I was dreaming about."

_How is it that he can be upset one moment and comforting me the next?_ "Kaoru, you're always the level-headed one, aren't you?" I sighed. "Even in situations like this."

Kaoru laughed. "I'm keeping it together, I guess."

"I don't know how you do it."

"Neither do I, honestly. Well, now that I've woken you up, are _you_ alright?"

"For now, but I'm not exactly sure how much longer I'll be able to keep it that way. This is getting pretty nerve-wracking."

Kaoru stood and plodded over to the closet, grabbing some clothes and heading towards the bathroom. "We'll be alright. That's all we can hope for, anyway."

I only half-listened as Kaoru instructed me to stay put until he got out of the shower, because he wasn't done talking and I needed to finish packing. While I was digging one-handedly through all of the clothes I never wore, I began to wonder how Kyoya-senpai planned on making this all work out. Would we be able to even get near the boss, or would Eclair and her staff make that impossible? But Kyoya-senpai was smart - surely he had a way around it. Throwing my belongings haphazardly into a suitcase, I launched myself onto the bed and let out a frustrated sigh. My cell phone rang beside me, and I recognized the sound as my preset ringtone for Haruhi. I flipped it open and held it to my ear.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, Hikaru," greeted Haruhi. "I just wanted to ask what time you two are picking me up."

"Well, Kaoru's in the shower right now, so probably around 6:30. We're all getting breakfast at 7:00, right?"

"That's what Kyoya-senpai said. At any rate, I guess I'll let you go."

"Alright, we'll see you at your place, then?"

"Right. Oh, and Hikaru?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Are the two of you… okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just worried. Have you noticed Honey-senpai's been acting less like himself? And Kyoya-senpai seems off, too."

I sighed into the phone. "The boss just didn't get it, did he? How lost we would be without him?"

"That's the thing, Hikaru. We're losing ourselves already, and we can't afford to lose him altogether too. He wants to back here. But he thinks it's too late. That's why Kyoya-senpai's planned this all out, you know?"

"Yeah."

"It's like I don't… It's like all I see is him, and I can't see myself anymore. And I'm not going to rest until we fix this."

"Yeah."

"...I'm going to hang up."

"See you later."

Haruhi hung up. I shut the phone, released it beside me and flopped back down on the bed with a sigh. _Please let senpai's plan work_, I thought. _This can't go on any longer_.

Breakfast was torture.

Don't get me wrong; the food we ate was fine, but it was the tension between the six of us that made things harder than they needed to be. When Kyoya-senpai offered to pay for Haruhi's meal and then proceeded to add it to her nonexistent debt to the dissolved Host Club, she most certainly wasn't happy with him. When the waitress asked if we wanted dessert, Honey-senpai informed her that he didn't like sweets, but the desperate quiver of his hands was unmistakable. The jovial spring in his step was gone, as was the constant presence of Usa-chan. Kyoya-senpai was trying to hold on to the notion of Haruhi's debt as if it would somehow bring everything back to the way it was. She was having none of this, and continued to become upset with him when he would ask her to tell us more about what happened on the bridge. He wanted closure, it seemed - hell, we all did - but Haruhi didn't want to give it to him. Stuck in the middle of it all were Kaoru and I, seemingly indifferent to the situation but simultaneously more upset than the rest of them combined. Sitting stoically beside Honey-senpai through the whole debacle was Mori-senpai, who likely wasn't too happy either.

When it came time to finally board the private jet bound for France, I began to lose faith in our ability to make this work. If we were falling apart now, how would we get the boss back later?

Kaoru made a break for the window seat, with me beside him. Haruhi sat across the aisle from us, Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai in front of her. Kyoya-senpai, shockingly, was seated beside Haruhi, despite there being plenty of room elsewhere. Yet neither of them seemed to detest the idea, as if they were both hoping it would somehow atone for the recent tension between them.

Honey-senpai continued to decline any offers of sweets by his staff, much to their - and Mori-senpai's - chagrin. Kaoru and I started up our usual banter with Haruhi. Typically, this would amuse Kyoya-senpai, but today he was too busy fretting over the notebook he had resumed his love affair with. He was scribbling in it even more furiously than usual, but that was to be expected what with the matter at hand.

Despite the obvious anxiety and tension in the air of the cabin, the glint of contentment and hope in Kaoru's eyes put me at ease.

All was well enough.

And then Kyoya-senpai finally snapped.


	7. Seven Stressful Hours

**A/N: Helllloooo! Thanks for all of the support for this story; really, you guys are great! This chapter is notably longer than the others, but it's just the way I wanted to lay this one out I guess. I already have ideas for the next chapter or two, so hopefully I'll be updating again tomorrow! Enjoy your extra-long chapter! Woo!**

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**Seven Stressful Hours**

"Senpai!" Haruhi shouted in surprise, breaking the peaceful silence of Honey-senpai's private jet.

Kaoru and I turned to look at her. She was standing over Kyoya-senpai's shaking frame, a hand outstretched towards him.

Kyoya-senpai appeared to be on the brink of tears, as if since the Ouran Fair he had become a time bomb slowly ticking away by the second. He had tried to remain calm - for us, I was convinced - and devise a game plan, but here in this plane of all places he finally broke.

"One of these days I am going to pop a vein or something," he muttered, rising to his feet with an obvious tremble in his hands. "I can't hide from this anymore!"

"Senpai!" I couldn't stop myself from shouting in fear.

Honey-senpai had gotten out of his seat as well.

Kaoru laid a hand on my shoulder.

Haruhi took a reluctant step backward and stated, "You can't keep holding on to something that isn't there, Kyoya-senpai."

"And _you_ can't keep telling yourself that everything will be magically alright if you avoid the problem!" he snapped in desperation.

"Senpai!" Kaoru shouted in what sounded like anger.

Haruhi fell silent and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. The rest of us stared in shock at the ballistic figure that had replaced our Kyoya-senpai.

"All I have been asking for is a little closure, Haruhi!" he cried. "We're running out of time!"

"Senpai, calm down!" I shouted. I understood he was upset, but I wasn't expecting this. I reached for Haruhi's quivering hand, and Kaoru and I were surprised when she turned around and launched herself at us. Hesitantly, we held her like that, Kaoru giving me a little shrug.

"Kyo-chan isn't really angry," Honey-senpai stated quietly. We stopped and listened to him. "You're just sad, aren't you, Kyo-chan?"

Nobody spoke for another hour. We had been on the plane for five long hours already - six now, and there were a good six more hours of agonizing tension left until we would reach France.

"...I feel like we're going back in time," muttered Kaoru. "Since Japan's time is eight hours ahead of France."

"Yeah," I replied.

"When we get there, it will be like we were only flying for four hours instead of twelve," he continued, "Since it'll be about noon and we left at eight."

"Yeah."

"That's partially the reason I wanted to leave Japan as soon as possible," interjected Kyoya-senpai with a hint of awkwardness in his voice. "We're in for a couple days of jet lag with this level of time difference."

Somewhere in the back of the cabin, Haruhi muttered something to herself.

I turned around to tease her. "Hey, if you're going to sit back there and act miserable for the rest of the flight, Kaoru and I are going to have to find something more entertaining!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Fine, be that way!" I began to pull at a loose thread on the wrapping around my arm while Kaoru continued to go on and on about the time difference.

With five hours remaining until we landed, I began to grow anxious. Leaning back in the black leather seat, Kaoru asleep with his head on my shoulder, I let out a heavy sigh. My stomach growled; it had been at least seven hours, more like eight, since I'd eaten.

"Is anybody else hungry?" I asked the others tentatively, attempting to break the awkward silence between us.

"I don't think I have the appetite," responded Haruhi from somewhere behind me.

"Mm," murmured Mori-senpai.

Honey-senpai laughed and said, "I'm always hungry!"

Kaoru was still asleep, and Kyoya-senpai neglected to respond. I sighed, pushed my brother off of me, and rose from my seat.

"Well, what do we have to eat?"

"All we have are sweets," replied Honey-senpai with a hint of guilt in his voice.

I huffed, "So we don't have any real food, senpai?"

"Nope. Sorry, Hika-chan."

"Well," Haruhi muttered. "I don't really eat sweets, but I don't think I'm really all that interested anyway."

I turned and stared at her, but she didn't meet my gaze. _Not interested, huh?_ I thought. _Yeah, that's definitely why she's not eating…_

As if on cue, some staff appeared with plates piled high with miniature cakes and cupcakes and cookies and any other sweets you could imagine. _Typical Honey-senpai_, I thought. _Or at least the old Honey-senpai that _I_ know._ Giving the staff my thanks, I set something aside for Kaoru and happily began snacking (better than nothing, right?), but I noticed I was the only one eating. I took a piece of cake and approached Honey-senpai, who watched me in horror.

"Here," I said, holding out the plate in my hand.

The loli-shota's eyes widened and, shaking his head vigorously, he exclaimed, "No, Hika-chan, I don't like sweets!"

I narrowed my eyes and held the cake out further. "Are you sure?" I teased. "Because something tells me you're _lying_, senpai. Come on, take it. It's okay to like sweets, and you know that."

The older boy gave in and took the plate with a grin. "Thanks, Hika-chan! I do like sweets!"

I cheered silently. As the small blonde jabbed a fork into his first piece of cake in days, I noticed Mori-senpai smiling at me, even if was just a little bit.

Cake really does make everything better, doesn't it?

I hesitated for a moment before grabbing another piece of cake and walking to the back of the cabin where Haruhi was sitting irritably by herself. Holding the cake out to her, I urged, "I know you don't like sweets all that much, but you have to eat something. This is all we have, and by the time we land in France, it will have been over twelve hours since breakfast.

Haruhi frowned and shook her head. "I don't have an appetite," she tried to explain.

I sat down beside her before she could protest. "What's the matter, you sick? Because this isn't the Haruhi I know."

Haruhi sighed. "I'm just not hungry. I don't fly very often, so I'm not used to it, you know?"

"Fine, lie to me, whatever," I mumbled. I remained by her side until Kaoru woke up, at which point I hurried back to his side and left Haruhi alone.

With four hours remaining until we landed, Haruhi and Kyoya-senpai still hadn't eaten and it felt like we would never arrive in France. I'll admit my hopes were dwindling, and it would take more than some cake to fix that now. Even so, it felt like the tension between us was lifting, though Haruhi and Kyoya-senpai still seemed to be worlds apart.

Eventually, Haruhi appeared beside me, arms crossed over her chest and eyes darting from host to host. "Fine, senpai," she proclaimed. "I'll talk."

Kyoya-senpai turned his head swiftly to face her. "Go ahead, then."

"Well Eclair was very possessive of Tamaki-senpai, but I guess that was obvious. But they were both merely following orders. She keeps trying to keep him from us. She asked if I was his lover," she paused and chuckled at that. "When I said I wasn't, she said that I must be nothing to him, and when I denied that to be true, that only seemed to make her all the more angry with my very existence."

"I hate her," muttered Honey-senpai.

"As you probably know, Hikaru ended up crashing the carriage and getting hurt, so I made the decision to continue on after Tamaki-senpai. When I caught up to him, I tried to get him to come back to Ouran. I told him how lost we would be without him. He said he thought we were all put out by the Host Club and I guess that's why he decided to leave with Eclair. I told him we all loved the Host Club, even me…" Haruhi paused, on the verge of tears. I wanted to comfort her, but at the same time I knew she had to finish the story. "He looked like he wanted to come back so badly, and it hurt. But then I fell, and he screamed for me but Eclair wouldn't let him go and that's why we're still without him. I wonder if things would have turned out differently had I not fallen."

Kyoya-senpai was silent. He stood to face her.

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Kyoya-senpai," continued Haruhi. "I know you needed to hear it. I just couldn't bear to say it."

The rest of us stood in shock and awe as slowly but surely Kyoya-senpai let his guard down and the two of them hugged; like a real, sincere hug. I don't think I'd ever seen Kyoya-senpai hug anyone, really.

"Perhaps I was too harsh on you," he stated apologetically, the tremble in his hands tapering off as Haruhi clung to the wrinkled cotton of his shirt.

Soon, Haruhi was seated beside him again and everything was returning to normal. I fell asleep to the sound of idle chatter, my head dropping onto my brother's shoulder as I did.

I slept off and on for an hour, Kaoru allowing me to use him as a headrest and making sure I was okay. Every time I woke up again, everything still seemed to be alright.

However, with two hours remaining until we landed, I was wide awake again and the two across the aisle still hadn't eaten. Kyoya-senpai I was sure would be okay once we got to dinner, but Haruhi was starting to worry me. I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that would not go away, the feeling that she wasn't going to eat again until we got some good news again, and I was afraid that good news would be scarce.

More important was the phone call that came with less than an hour remaining until we landed. Kyoya-senpai's phone went off in his pocket, and he pulled it out and put it on speaker.

"Renge?" he answered. "How can I help you?"

"When you said you got me excuse from school this week I assumed that meant you were taking me with you to France!" came the dejected shout from the other end.

"My apologies, I did not realize you would assume that was part of the deal."

"Well what's in it for me now?" whined the Host Club's resident otaku.

Hesitantly, Haruhi interjected with, "Renge, if you promise to keep your deal with us, I'll tell you a secret."

Kaoru jabbed me in the arm. He was looking at me with a face that screamed, "Stop her!" But I didn't understand what she was doing until it was too late.

"Ooh, a secret from Haruhiiiii?" came our 'manager's' voice. "You have yourself a deal again. Now, what's this secret?"

"You have to promise you won't tell anyone, not even our customers, okay?"

"I promise."

"You _swear_ you can keep a secret?"

"I swear, I swear!"

"Alrighty then," Haruhi took a deep breath. "Renge, I'm a girl."

Renge hung up.

The five of us stared at her in shock. Renge couldn't keep a secret! I began to wonder if Haruhi just didn't really care how the customers saw her or if she had given up on finding the boss and just wouldn't admit it to the rest of us.

Either way, as Kyoya-senpai frantically redialed Renge's number, I didn't like where this was going.


	8. Eight Hours' Jet Lag

**A/N: Wow, hey, double whammy feels fest tonight, eh? I really wanted to write this chapter, so I went for it! :D this probably won't happen again, so embrace it. Chapter's a bit shorter than normal, so I guess it makes up for the last one.**

**I hope you like it!**

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**Eight Hours' Jet Lag**

Upon our arrival at the hotel Renge recommended, the six of us headed to the hotel restaurant to get some dinner… or, lunch, I guess. We were exhausted, but even Haruhi decided it was a good idea to get a decent meal before we turned in for the night (afternoon? Man, jet lag is terrible).

"I'm not so sure telling Renge your true gender was a great idea, Haruhi," Kyoya-senpai admitted.

The short-hair brunette shrugged and replied with, "Well, what else was I supposed to do? Let her bail on us?"

"She seemed okay with it when you called her back," I pointed out.

Kyoya-senpai shook his head. "My concern is more so about how Tamaki will react when he hears we trusted Renge with the Host Club's biggest secret."

Haruhi sighed. "At this point, I don't care who knows. It doesn't change how I feel about the Host Club. I'll still miss it either way."

"How do you suggest we go about doing this, anyway?" Kaoru inquired.

"I expect us to be completely exhausted for a day or so, but in the meantime I'll attempt to acquire some more specific details on the impending wedding, and perhaps try to get in touch with Tamaki and find out what exactly is going on in the moron's head."

Haruhi dropped her fork onto her plate and gulped. "Hey, can we just leave? If I wasn't tired before, I sure am now after this meal…" she let out a fake laugh.

"You didn't even finish," I said in suspicion. "Is something the matter?"

"I'm just tired, so can we please leave?"

"Very well," Kyoya-senpai answered the girl's prayers. It was decided; by Haruhi's discretion, we were heading up to where we were staying.

By the time we got settled in, it may have only been about one o'clock in the afternoon in France, but we were still running on Japan time, so for us it was more like nine at night. We all headed to bed almost immediately; it had been a stressful day.

At six o'clock that evening, France time, I woke up to find that Kaoru wasn't in the room. The bathroom door was open and the light was off.

"Kaoru?" I whispered. "Kaoru?!" Frantically, I leapt out of the comfort of the soft cotton hotel sheets, running on five hours' sleep, and burst into the main room of the suite the six of us were now sharing.

"Oh! Oh," exclaimed Haruhi, whom I had just startled. "It's just you. You scared the crap out of me." She was standing by the sink in a t-shirt and blue pajama bottoms, holding a glass of water in one hand and rubbing her temple with the other.

"Sorry," I panted. "Where's Kaoru?"

Haruhi shrugged. "How should I know? I just came to get a drink of water. Seriously, where's he gonna go?" She yawned. "Go back to bed. If you wake Kyoya-senpai or Honey-senpai, I'm not cleaning it up when they murder you." Haruhi waved me aside and headed back to bed, leaving me alone in the dimly lit room to wait for Kaoru. A minute or two later, the door creaked open and Kaoru appeared, holding a small pack of cookies.

"Hey, they've got this really great vending machine down the- what's wrong?" he asked.

"Kaoru!" I launched myself at my twin, wrapping my good arm around his shoulders and gripping the fabric of his t-shirt. "I'm so glad you came back."

Reluctantly and a bit confused, Kaoru patted me on the back. "What's the matter? I just left for a few minutes to grab something to eat. I got hungry."

"I was afraid you had left me."

Kaoru took my hand and led me outside to the small deck connected to our hotel suite. He opened up his pack of cookies and handed one to me before popping another in his mouth. "Now what's this all about? I get up in the middle of the night all the time."

I frowned and took a bite of my cookie. "I got worried. ...You know I don't like being without you, right?"

"Of course I do. After all, we _are_ twins. But I don't see how me leaving to grab some cookies is going to change that in your mind."

I began to fidget.

Kaoru sighed. "Okay, I think I get what's going on here." He grabbed my good hand. "Hikaru, I may be the younger twin, but you know I'm always looking after you, don't you?"

I nodded. Kaoru always knew how I was feeling before I did; he was insightful like that. "And I care about you more than anyone," I replied.

"I know, Hikaru. And nothing will change that. But even so… this codependency has to end sooner or later. The carriage is turning back into a pumpkin, do you understand what I mean?"

I shook my head, accepting another cookie from my twin.

"Eventually, Hikaru, you'll have to stop depending on me to think for you. You have to learn to accept that, okay?"

I nodded.

"I know it's hard to think that one day we might not have each other, but as much as it hurts me to admit it, we can't cling to each other for safety forever."

"I just… I just can't believe any of this is happening."

"I know, Hikaru, I know. But even though we're twins, one of these days you're going to have to take another step all on your own, and while I'll always have your back, you have to depend on someone other than me. You have to depend on yourself, Hikaru, okay?"

"Okay, Kaoru."

Kaoru gave me a hug. "You were doing so well, too. I think this whole thing has taken a toll on you. Just promise me you'll try to be strong, for me, and for Haruhi, and for Kyoya-senpai, and for Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, and… for the boss, okay? This isn't going to get any better unless you tell yourself it will."

"I promise, Kaoru. I promise."


	9. Nine Cubes of Sugar

**Nine Cubes of Sugar**

The rain was pouring on the streets of Paris the following afternoon. Kyoya had made it a point to try to get us onto France's schedule, but we were still pretty tired. Despite the foul weather, he had appointed Kaoru, Haruhi, and I to scope out the city and possibly find some information on the boss' whereabouts. Much to Haruhi's chagrin, we were forced out into the rain, and because we were in another country, Kaoru and I had to give in to the inevitability of travelling on foot.

The three of us hiked through the falling rain for several blocks, but we couldn't find anything of interest. Paris was just another boring city halfway around the world; it just happened to be where the boss was. The fact that he could be right under our noses, walking amongst us in the crowd of umbrella-clad strangers, made my head swim. But Paris was a large city, and surely Eclair was keeping a close eye on him. What were the chances of us running into him, really?

We came to a stop at a roofed plaza of sorts because Kaoru wanted to ask anyone if they knew anything about Eclair or her illegitimate fiance. While he ran around in the crowd of people trying to escape the rain, Haruhi and I leaned against a wall and stared at the rain falling on the glass overhang above us in uncomfortable silence.

A bolt of lightning flashed in the distance, grabbing the attention of almost everyone in the area, Haruhi included. She shuddered and inched closer to me, just a little bit. I looked around; Kaoru was nowhere in sight. _Make a decision, Hikaru,_ I thought as thunder echoed through the plaza, causing Haruhi to visibly cringe.

_"Just promise me you'll try to be strong."_

As much as I wanted to wait for Kaoru, I clutched Haruhi's hand and took off at a run, dodging concerned pedestrians and leading my frightened friend into a nearby cafe. Upon entering, Haruhi thanked me and I ordered both of us some coffee to drink while we waited out the storm. When the eerily familiar middle-class roast hit my tastebuds, I asked the barista if it was instant.

The barista responded in really fast French that I didn't understand. Thankfully, the woman seated next to me at the counter interjected.

"You have quite a refined palate," she commented in, to my surprise, the best Japanese I'd heard from the French since we arrived. "It is instant. They usually use, of course, a French press, but it broke this morning. She wants to know if that will be okay."

I smiled and assured the barista it was perfect.

Haruhi asked the woman how she knew such great Japanese, to which she replied that she once knew someone from Japan before asking us what brought us to France, since we were clearly Japanese ourselves.

"We're looking for our friend," I explained a bit hesitantly.

"Who are you looking for? Maybe I could help you out." She smiled eagerly, wrapping her white shawl tighter around her shoulders and spooning nine cubes of sugar into her coffee. _Either she really likes her coffee sweet,_ I thought, _or I've become completely desensitized to just how bland instant coffee really is._

"Do you know anyone by the name of Eclair Tonnerre?" I asked.

The woman's deep blue eyes widened. "You two are friends with the heiress to Grand Tonnerre?" she questioned in awe.

Haruhi shook her head. "I wouldn't call her our friend," she said. "Not at all, actually. But… she knows our friend and could probably help us find him."

"Well… I don't really know if I can help you there," she said with a reluctant smile. "But I'm here almost every afternoon if you think of another way I could help!"

"Thanks," I told her before turning to Haruhi and saying, "The rain's stopping. We should probably go back." Haruhi nodded and we stood up. I paid for our coffee and said goodbye to the kind woman before we left to find Kaoru.

"Huh, we never got her name," I thought aloud as Haruhi and I hurried through the plaza in search of my twin. "Oh well. I'm sure we'll never see her again, right?"

* * *

We eventually ran into Kaoru, along with the others, who all appeared very worried. I didn't understand why until I remembered we had run off to avoid the thunderstorm without telling anyone. Typical Kaoru, always looking after me, got ahold of the others and formed a search party to look for us; little did he know, we hadn't even gone that far.

I reassured my brother that we were okay and Haruhi explained why we had disappeared. Neither of us mentioned the Japanese-speaking woman we had met in the cafe.

The six of us began walking back to the hotel. For Kaoru, it had certainly been a rough afternoon already, and he likely caused the others to panic along with him.

I guess there was always a piece of me within Kaoru all along.

"Did any of you find any information?" asked Kyoya-senpai.

"No, unfortunately," replied Kaoru.

I nodded in agreement. "Nobody seems to really know anything about the wedding," I added. "I guess they're really keeping it out of the spotlight."

"We didn't find anything either," stated Honey-senpai, who had checked out the other end of the city with Mori-senpai.

Kyoya-senpai pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and pulled out his notebook. He opened it and said, "I spoke to Renge over the phone. I had her translate some local articles I found on Grand Tonnerre, seeing as my French skills are minimal at best."

"Did you come across anything?" asked Haruhi.

"I found the name of chapel where it's being held, and Renge is working to locate it, since she knows the city far better than we do. I read, however, that in order to avoid the press, it is a highly exclusive event being cut off from the public at any and all costs, so we're faced with the problem of getting inside if it comes to that."

"Damn," I muttered.

Honey-senpai asked, "How are we going to get to Tama-chan in time?"

Kyoya-senpai sighed. "The way things stand now, I'm afraid our only option is to infiltrate the wedding at the last possible moment."

Kaoru and I cringed simultaneously. That wouldn't be easy.

"Are you sure?" Haruhi asked.

"Unless we receive word on his whereabouts sooner, then yes."

We continued our walk back to our hotel, the sun beginning to break through the angry stormclouds overhead. I tried to think positively; we were making _some_ progress, after all. It was better than nothing, even if our chances of finding the boss in time were slim at this point.

The rest of us walked behind Kyoya-senpai, whose face was buried in his notebook, yet his eyes continued to occasionally dart from side to side (of course, he didn't know any of us would notice). He stopped dead in his tracks, suddenly dropping his notebook. His jaw dropped ever so slightly, and his eyes, the color of the stormclouds above us, widened and locked onto something across the street. I followed his gaze, and then I saw it.

In the emerging sunlight, his blonde hair was unmistakable, as were those blue-violet eyes that seemed to meet Kyoya's the minute his met the blonde's. "Daddy" stared at "Mommy" as long as "Mommy" kept staring at him. His expression was one of both depression and surprise. He didn't move, and neither did Kyoya.

He was alone. There was nothing stopping us. But none of us could move.

It was a miracle they saw each other at all the way the crowd was increasing. Everyone seemed to be on the streets now that the sun was coming out. Soon, the crowd swallowed him. He seemed to vanish, just like that.

The six of us just stood there.

And I swear I saw the rain begin to fall from the stormclouds, but I'm not talking about the stormclouds in the Paris sky.


	10. Ten O'Clock

**Ten O'Clock**

I was woken up in the morning by the smell of commoners' coffee wafting into the bedroom. The aroma was enough to lure me out of bed and into the main room, where I found Kaoru pouring some instant coffee into a few mugs. Mori-senpai was seated at the table in the corner beside Honey-senpai, who was happily indulging in some cake.

"Good morning, Hika-chan!" he chimed, shoveling some more cake into his mouth. "Want some cake?"

"No thanks," I replied. "I will take some of that coffee though, Kaoru."

My twin smiled and passed me a piping hot cup of the official drink of the Host Club. I accepted it graciously and turned so I could look all three of my friends.

"Where are Haruhi and Kyoya-senpai?" I asked.

Kaoru responded with, "Still asleep, I guess."

"Well, Kyoya-senpai I'm not surprised about," I mused. We didn't call him the Hypotensive Evil Lord for nothing. "But I would expected Haruhi to be up by now."

He shrugged. "Yeah, well, it's been a long couple of days."

"Maybe we should wake them up!" suggested Honey-senpai. "They can't sleep forever, right?"

Kaoru and I took a seat. "Maybe," I muttered, tracing the grain of the wooden table with my finger.

"Hey, Takashi, do you know what Kyo-chan has planned for today?" Honey-senpai asked his much taller cousin.

"No," murmured the silent boy in response.

As if on cue, Kyoya-senpai emerged from his bedroom and groaned, "Far too much, I'm afraid. I didn't plan on sleeping this late, I assure you."

"Yeah, no big deal," I sighed apathetically.

Senpai ran his fingers through his slightly tousled hair, collapsing into the chair beside Kaoru and attempting to conceal a yawn.

"Hey Kyo-chan," prodded Honey-senpai, "Are you tired?"

The Shadow King shot the older boy a look before adjusting his glasses and yawning again.

"Did you have trouble sleeping?"

He nodded with a sigh. "On a horrendous level."

When Haruhi finally emerged a short time later, it was obvious by the bags under her bloodshot eyes and her groggy disposition that she hadn't slept much either. I felt my stomach begin to turn somersaults as I watched the two of them.

Their plates remained untouched. It bothered me on a deep and personal level, and I didn't understand why. I willed Kaoru to somehow figure it out for me, to whisk me away somewhere far less painful and upsetting, but I knew he couldn't; if there was one thing I missed about it being just the two of us in our world, that was it.

I poked and stabbed at my breakfast, having lost my appetite. "...I feel sick," I announced suddenly, dropping my fork onto my plate. I excused myself and hurried back to my bed, where I sat down with my head in my hands.

Above all else, I suppose I was worried, considering the events of the previous afternoon, as well as what happened the last time Haruhi refused to eat.

"Hikaru, are you okay? Is your stomach hurting you?" asked my concerned twin. I felt the mattress sink when he sat beside me. "Hikaru."

"I'm fine," I assured him. "Just worried about Kyoya-senpai and Haruhi."

"Do you think they're shaken up from last night?"

I shrugged and cringed inwardly. "I know I am."

Kaoru patted my hand that lay between us. "Well, I'm sure everything will work out. Try not to worry about it, because that probably will only make them feel worse."

"It would be nice if they would stop skipping meals."

"If it makes you feel any better, before I ran after you just now, Kyoya-senpai looked like he was going to start eating finally."

I shrugged again. "I guess that makes me feel better."

"Do you still feel sick?"

"To be honest, I almost feel worse."

Kaoru sighed and clutched my hand. "I'll stay here with you. Don't worry."

When night fell, I lay in the dark simply willing myself to give in to the sleep that refused to come. I kept thinking about how the day had panned out. Even though Kyoya-senpai was eventually eating again by lunch, he still seemed off. We hadn't left the hotel all day, what with the two of them out of sorts and me feeling sick as a result. Now, with Kaoru fast asleep and unable to distract me from my thoughts, they ran rogue through my brain, igniting fires nobody was there to put out. I began to wonder if this was really the end of the Host Club. Were we all really about to lose each other? It seemed like without our king around, we couldn't function. But that made sense, really. After all, he was the one who brought us all together.

When he left, it became more than just dissolution; we could overcome that. It was now a race against time to bring our king back before Eclair officially tore him away forever - and it was a race I began to feel like we were losing.

I looked over at Kaoru. He was sleeping peacefully, and I could see the calm and steady rise and fall of his chest with every breath. I didn't really want to wake him, as much as I needed him. Instead, I quietly rolled out of bed and went to get something to drink to calm me down.

I was surprised to see Haruhi asleep on the plush white sofa of the main living area, still in her regular clothes; that was how we had left her. Hesitantly, I gave her shoulder a gentle shove.

"Haruhi," I pleaded quietly, then a bit louder, shaking her a bit harder. "Haruhi." I looked over at the clock: it was only ten. We hadn't left her here that long ago. How was she already so fast asleep? "Haruhi, wake up!" She wasn't responding. My heart leapt into my throat. "...SENPAI!" was the only thing I could think to call out.

Kyoya-senpai came bursting into the room, followed shortly thereafter by the others. "Hikaru, what's the matter?" he asked with urgency.

"Haruhi's not waking up," I explained.

"What do you mean she's not waking up?" he took a knee beside the sofa and attempted to wake the girl up. He hurried back to his feet knowingly and pointed to Kaoru. "Find something for her to eat. Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, get a few glasses of water. Hikaru, you stay here with me."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you to."

Haruhi's eyelids fluttered. "Wh… Wh- what's going on?" she mumbled incoherently.

"Haruhi, have you eaten at all?"

"No, I've… I've barely eaten much of anything since we got to France… I thought you knew that…"

"Do you feel sick at all, Haruhi?"

"Well, I'm exhausted… Why did you wake me up?" She shakily accepted a glass of water from Honey-senpai and brought it to her lips. Kaoru returned with some plain white rice, pre-packaged and microwaved like the commoners do it.

"I couldn't sleep, so I got up and found you here," I explained. "I tried to wake you, but you wouldn't respond, so I called for help."

"I really didn't mean to worry you guys. Really, I'm okay." She turned down the rice Kaoru brought for her, but he held it out firmly until she finally took it from him.

"I know you're upset, Haruhi, but skipping every meal isn't going to help," urged Kyoya-senpai. "Lately, you have seemed anything but normal."

Haruhi replied, "It's an old habit I have from when my mom died." Then she asked, "...Are we going to get him back?"

Kyoya-senpai sighed. "If anything, we still have each other."


	11. Eleven French Magazines Later

**A/N: This chapter took a while, I know. XD I struggled to get the chapter off the ground, but I feel like this chapter is worth it! Hopefully I'll start getting chapters uploaded faster again. Enjoy~**

* * *

**Eleven French Magazines Later**

"Good morning, everyone!" chimed Kyoya-senpai with unexpected enthusiasm. He tucked his notebook under his arm and commanded us all to get ready to leave immediately.

"You seem oddly chipper," Haruhi pointed out in suspicion. "Where are we going?"

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and raised his voice. "Why, we have places to be and people to track down!"

I lifted my mug to my mouth and downed the rest of my instant coffee in one big gulp. His excitement was infectious, and I was ready to make this happen. Time was ticking; we only had a day left to act. "He's right, let's do this!" I exclaimed forcefully, jumping up out of my chair.

"Yeah," Kaoru concurred half-heartedly, popping up reluctantly beside me.

"Yay, let's get Tama-chan!" cheered Honey-senpai.

Kyoya-senpai raised a hand to silence us. A smile of determination had implanted itself on his face while we were celebrating, and it was a grin I'd never seen before. A new sense of faith had filled the air of our usually dismal hotel suite, as if the skies had suddenly cleared for reasons unbeknownst to me. As we all scattered across the suite to get ready, Kaoru and I trotted off in perfect unison to our room.

I snatched my comb off of the nightstand and began running it through my hair while Kaoru started to brush his teeth.

"Hey Hika," he called through his toothbrush. "You think Kyoya-senpai has a plan?"

"How should I know? You're the smart one," was my reply. I tossed the comb away haphazardly and stared at myself in the mirror.

A second image of myself appeared behind me in the reflection, smiling and propping an arm up on my shoulder.

"I forgot to ask; how are you feeling this morning?" inquired my younger twin.

"I'm fine," I replied with indifference, unsure if he was referring simply to my arm or to something else. I noticed a tear form in the corner of Kaoru's eye and slither down his cheek. He tried to hide it, but I saw it in the mirror. "What about you?"

My brother sighed. "Some days I feel great, others I feel like vomiting profusely. Today is of the latter sort," he admitted sorrowfully.

I watched his expression turn sour in our reflection, his eyes drifting away from the mirror and coming to rest on my face. He lifted his arm away before flopping down onto the bed with a deep sigh. "Well, I'm sure senpai knows what he's doing. We'll have the boss at hand in no time!" I tried to assure Kaoru.

A slight smile crept onto his face.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, it's time to go!" called Kyoya-senpai.

"Come on," I urged. "Cheer up and let's go!"

As it turns out, the plan was to stop wallowing in our hotel room all day and try to track down the boss once and for all. It was our last chance. We had seen him once before, so it was possible to find him; it had to be.

But I found myself having to force myself to believe it.

Haruhi strolled alongside us down the street, her to my left and Kaoru to my right. Senpai's enthusiasm seemed to have gotten to the short brunette as well, as there was a smile on her face I hadn't seen much of in a while.

The six of us ended up wandering up and down the streets of Paris for several hours, unsure what we were looking for but determined to find it all the same. It was already early afternoon, and Kaoru began pleading with Kyoya-senpai to allow us to stop and get something for lunch. This caused my stomach to growl in protest; I hadn't even noticed how hungry I was becoming. At first, senpai vehemently objected, stating that we had no time to waste, but he gave in when Haruhi began to plead with him too. He suggested we enter the first commoners' eating establishment we came across, which coincidentally was the cafe Haruhi and I had visited.

"Are you sure this is where you want to eat, senpai?" murmured Kaoru.

"We need to continue our search," was the dark-haired boy's response, "so we must make this quick."

I refrained from rolling my eyes and sat down in one of the fabricated wooden chairs beside my brother, releasing a sigh. Kyoya-senpai sat directly across from me, scribbling furiously in his thin black notebook. Honey-senpai immediately ordered several slices of cake, foregoing what you might call a "normal" lunch entirely. While we waited for our food, Haruhi rose from her chair and began thumbing through a rack of magazines that were entirely in French. I didn't know what exactly she planned to find, but it seemed to please her, so I let her be. She kept looking even as her lunch came, merely muttering, "One sec…" and returning to the magazine she was staring at.

"What's she looking at?" I asked Kaoru in a low voice.

"Beats me," he murmured.

Haruhi answered my question when she sat down and began eating, but not before tossing what appeared to be a French tabloid onto our table and insisting, "You guys have to see this."

I spotted the photo on the cover. Unmistakable.

None of us had a clue what the headline said, but it wasn't hard to guess based on the picture of Eclair Tonnerre and the typically blithe yet charming Tamaki Suoh who now faked a smile. My eyes widened in surprise, and it felt as though my heart had stopped.

"Damn," I whispered.

"Maybe we can get Renge-chan to translate it for us later," suggested Honey-senpai.

None of us responded to his suggestion. I continued to stare at the full-page photo glaring up at me, eating away at my sanity with a vengeance. I could almost hear Kaoru's heart pounding in his chest as he clutched my hand under the table. _Dammit, Kaoru, don't do this to me,_ I thought.

The bespectacled young man in front of me cleared his voice before finally speaking up and saying, "Now, let's try to remain calm, however exciting this may be. We'll have Renge translate this for us later when we get back to the hotel."

"That won't be necessary, I can help you," said a familiar voice. I looked up. It was the woman Haruhi and I had met, standing at our table and eyeing the magazine. "I don't mean to intrude, but I couldn't help but hear that you needed something translated." Then she smiled when she realized who Haruhi and I were. "Oh, it's you two from earlier this week!"

"What's she talking about?" muttered Kaoru.

"Haruhi and I met this woman here during the thunderstorm a few days ago," I explained. "But we never got her name."

"I was reluctant to tell you, but I have connections with Lady -" the woman stopped herself.

"What's your name, madam?" Kyoya-senpai asked, his voice wavering slightly. "...Miss?"

A tear fell onto the magazine in front of the woman as she saw the cover photo.

"Are you alright? May I have your name?" senpai seemed to notice something the rest of us didn't.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner… I didn't realize he…" the woman paused. "Is this the friend you're looking for?" She pointed to Tamaki's picture.

"Yeah, that's him," I replied.

The woman tucked a lock of bright blonde hair behind her ear. "I suppose you have figured this out by now, but I know the boy you're looking for."

"We never got your name," urged Haruhi, though it was clear she had realized who we were speaking to.

The blonde-haired woman gave her a slight smile, staring at her with those suddenly familiar blue, almost violet eyes…

"Why, it's Anne-Sophie."


	12. Twelve Wide Eyes

**A/N: This chapter is pretty tense I guess, and possibly unnecessary BUT I DON'T CAAAAAREEEEE because there are only going to be 2-3 more chapters. Heehee. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Twelve Wide Eyes**

I wanted to vomit.

"I had no idea he was here," Anne-Sophie said quietly. "I didn't know he was going to marry her… just for me."

Kyoya-senpai explained, "We were in a club with Tamaki. He was ordered by his grandmother to escort Lady Eclair for the day, and soon enough he announced their engagement and was gone without another word."

"Did you go after him?"

"We failed," I stated bluntly. Then I held up my right arm. "That's how I got this."

"What time did you say the wedding was tomorrow?" inquired Kyoya-senpai.

"The article says nine o'clock," Anne-Sophie informed him with a smile. "And I can get us in."

I still wanted to vomit.

Kaoru and I lay in dark and silence, both of us wide awake. Throughout the rest of the hotel suite, I knew everyone else was wide awake too. We couldn't afford to lose sleep; tomorrow was our last chance, and it was sure to be a long and difficult day.

"Are you okay?" whispered Kaoru.

"No," I replied. "Are you?"

"No."

"Tomorrow's the day."

"Yep."

"You think we're getting the boss back?"

"If all goes as planned."

"Yeah."

"Hikaru, what do you think…" Kaoru sniffled. "What do you think is going to happen if we don't?"

My stomach churned. "I don't want to think about it."

"Are we even the same as we were a few weeks ago?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just want to know what's going to happen to this grubby old pumpkin. I think I like the carriage much better."

"What?"

Kaoru let out a long sigh that filled the air with uncomfortable dysphoria and sat in a thick fog above my head. It spilled into my lungs, causing my chest to tighten, and my heart had become so dissilient that I was sure I would drop dead.

"...It's nothing," muttered my brother. He made an effort to hide it, but I heard the sorrowful cry as he began to lament over the things he could not change.

"Why do you still act like this?" I asked honestly, not meaning to torment as much as I ended up doing.

"For you, Hikaru," was the reply. "If you're not happy, I'll never be. I just want you to be happy."

A disheartened yawp escaped my lips before I could stop it, sending Kaoru further into the abyss by which he was slowly being consumed.

Kaoru always had a heart of gold, but it was on that night that I realized how heavy gold actually was.

But it was so valuable all the same.

"We're such children," I mused quietly with a protective hold on my younger twin's hand.

Kaoru didn't respond, and it took me a moment to realize that this was because he was busy crying.

I sat up slowly, coaxing my brother out of blackness and desperation while he continued to crumble. The trembling of his shoulders as I comforted him was so foreign to me, yet it somehow provided a warm feeling of solace I hadn't thought possible.

When Kyoya-senpai materialized outside our door, I let him in, but not without hesitation.

"Senpai, what's going on?" I inquired suspiciously.

An unanticipated grimace could be seen behind the glasses that were stuck haphazardly on his face, a disconcerting frown that radiated misery in all directions.

"Only everything," admitted the sleep-deprived mass of confusion in front of me.

I was surprised that he had come to us, as was Kaoru, who had crept up beside me in the doorway.

"Well… what do you suppose we do?" I asked in a low voice.

Kyoya-senpai shrugged and ran his fingers through his partially unkempt jet-black locks. He adjusted his glasses and stated, "I figured the two of you would likely be in the same position as I am at the moment."

"I think everyone is," Kaoru pointed out.

Senpai fixed his glasses again. "I must admit, my nerves are running high. I'm worrying quite a bit about tomorrow."

"Aren't we all?" came Haruhi's voice, shadowing the Shadow King with a surprising level of agony in her voice.

I was conflicted. I missed Ouran, I missed the Host Club, hell, I even missed Renge (okay, maybe not). But I missed being happy, and I missed Kaoru being happy and Haruhi being happy and all of us being happy, and all I wanted to do was be able to laugh and be happy with them again. And I missed the boss, whether I liked it or not; and I knew I would never be able to return to Japan unless he came back with us.

By silent agreement, we searched for the other two hosts and found Mori-senpai not in his room but instead in the main room with Honey-senpai, who was clearly looking for us.

"Kyo-chan, Haru-chan, Hika-chan, Kao-chan!" he whined, rubbing his eyes.

"We're all awake," murmured Mori-senpai.

"Has anyone slept at all?" asked Haruhi.

None of us spoke up.

And it was by another silent agreement that we all sat around the too-small table and waited for the good to come through.

I could feel the frustration lighting a fire in my chest that spread throughout my body, slowly at first and then all at once.

"I guess I never realized how much the Host Club meant to me," whispered Haruhi. We all nodded in acknowledgement.

The burning sensation spread to my legs, causing them to become restless, and shot down my fingertips, instigating a slight tremor that grew into a shake that I couldn't stop.

I wasn't just upset and worried, I realized; I was _angry_.

"Dammit, I can't take this anymore!" I blurted uncontrollably, flying out of my chair and sending it toppling down behind me. "We're his friends, right? Well? Are we or aren't we?!"

Everyone nodded. I ignored the universal taken-aback expression that plagued my friends and continued.

"If we just continue to sit here and feel sorry for ourselves instead of increasing our chances of success, we're never going to feel better!" I slammed my hands on the table.

I continued to yell and scream, the atmosphere in the room growing all the more positive by the second. Soon, I had everyone else hollering with me, banding together once again.

And when we went back to bed, a tiny flame, a flicker of hope, ignited inside me, and warmth spread through my body and lulled me to sleep.

Even though I knew that hope was futile.


	13. Thirteen is Unlucky - Part I

**A/N: Hey double the fun today! Does this make up for the delay on chapter 11? XD I decided to release this chapter in two parts, so here's part one! Thanks everyone so so so much for the overwhelming support for this story; it was actually unexpected! I know some of you were upset about the story being almost over, but unfortunately it has to be done whether I want it to or not. Anyway, enjoy, chapter 13 (part I)!**

* * *

**Thirteen Is Unlucky - Part I**

My hands shook with anxiety as I pulled my tie tighter around my neck. It was a light blue in contrast to Kaoru's, which was a pale orange.

Renge had been in charge of planning our attire to the wedding we were about to crash; due to her frequent cosplaying, Kyoya-senpai figured it would be worth it to ask her. I was worried she would go over-the-top, but we were all dressed in plain black suits. The only thing that set us apart was the ties she had selected personally for each of us, for reasons she claimed I wouldn't understand.

Kaoru appeared beside me, and together we entered the main room of the suite, where everyone was already waiting.

"Do we have a plan?" I asked dismally. "Do we try to find him or wait until the right moment?"

"What we'll do is split up once we get inside," explained Kyoya-senpai. "I'll elaborate once we are on our way. Now, everyone, let's go outside. Anne-Sophie should be here to pick us up in the next ten minutes."

We followed him out of the room and down to the lobby of the hotel, where we made our exit and waited for the car. Soon, a sleek black car pulled up in front of the building, and we all piled inside.

"Good morning, everyone!" chimed Anne-Sophie with optimism.

I was surprised to see her in the driver's seat, seeing as I knew she had been sickly for years. "I had no idea you drive," I stated.

"Not frequently," she admitted with a small giggle. "But I will not have my son get married like this at 17 and leave behind everyone he cares about."

I found myself smiling despite my nerves, and it made me feel just a bit better.

"How are you going to get us in?" question Haruhi.

Anne-Sophie replied, "I'm Lady Eclair's housekeeper, and we are actually closer than you might think. She once told me that if she ever got married, I could come to her wedding and bring however many guests I wanted." She paused and sighed. "I wonder if this is what she meant. I used to talk about him all the time…"

"When we get inside, we'll need to split into groups in case things should go awry. I am not comfortable being on the front lines because of my family's relationship with Grand Tonnerre," Kyoya-senpai informed us from the passenger seat.

"I don't want to be there either," added Anne-Sophie. "Tamaki shouldn't have to see me and then give me up again. I don't want him to know I even had a part in this."

Senpai was silent for a moment before saying, "Very well, then the two of us will remain behind the scenes. Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, you two will keep watch for anything that could cause us trouble. That leaves the three of you." He motioned over his shoulder to Kaoru, Haruhi, and I.

"Well, I'm not going in alone," Haruhi insisted. "I don't want to mess this up again."

"Then I'll go with you," I decided firmly.

"If you two are going, then I'm going too," said Kaoru.

"It's settled then," confirmed Kyoya-senpai. We pulled to a stop outside the wedding chapel Renge had located for us, a larger-than-average but still pretty average sized building with a bright white exterior and large, elegant windows. The eight of us got out of the car and walked with purpose up to the front door, where a man in dark sunglasses and a black suit was standing with a clipboard.

"Names please?" he asked irritably, flipping through his clipboard. He spoke fluent Japanese, which surprised me. It was like we were _supposed_ to show up. Was it a trap? Or something more?

"Anne-Sophie de Grantaine," replied Anne-Sophie. "And these are my guests. Lady Eclair said I could bring some."

The man continued to look through his clipboard. _Who does he think he is, Kyoya-senpai?_ "Yes, I… was informed of that. Go ahead."

"She kept to her word," mused Anne-Sophie once we were inside. "It's like she wants us here." Then she laughed. "But we all know that's impossible!"

For what seemed like hours, nobody spoke, until Kyoya-senpai cleared his throat and said, "Good luck, everyone. Let's get that idiot." And then he turned down the bright hallway with Anne-Sophie at his heels. She turned around and waved with a smile.

Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai took their positions, and I placed my hand on the doorknob in front of me.

"Well," I whispered, "This is it."

Kaoru nodded and placed his hand on the other doorknob. "Yeah, it is."

Haruhi put a hand on each of our shoulders. "Come on," she urged firmly. "...Let's do this."

And then, slowly, we opened the door to the room where everything would - hopefully - fall into place…


	14. Thirteen is Unlucky - Part II

**A/N:**

**/rolls in**

**bye**

**/rolls out**

* * *

**Thirteen Is Unlucky - Part II**

The infamous first-year trio, yet again chasing after that blonde idiot, took our seats in the very back, on padded seat cushions that stuck uncomfortably to our clothes and made the place feel more like a prison than a wedding chapel.

But then again, it felt that way anyway.

I moved my sleeve to uncover my wristwatch and eyed the time nervously. It was about 9:00 in the morning, right on schedule; but that meant it was 5:00 PM in Japan. The graduation ceremony was at 5:00 the next evening (Japan time, of course), officially 24 hours away. It was a twelve hour flight, which meant we would have to be on our way back to Japan by nine o'clock tonight.

There was still time.

But would it be worth the time?

That was the question that weighed heavily on my mind as we sat through an agonizing ceremony in which I found myself continually having to hold back from stopping the whole thing right then and there. But there was a plan to keep to, devised by Kyoya-senpai and Renge. In true Renge fashion, this would have to be something straight out of a movie. And it was so simple yet so cliche that I felt it might just work.

"Hanging in there?" I whispered to my twin brother and crossdressing friend.

"Barely," answered the short-haired brunette to my right.

On the other side of her, Kaoru nodded and replied, "For now. I'm getting antsy."

On occasion, it seemed as if the boss made eye contact with me, like he knew we were there but didn't want to say anything.

But with the way things played out after that, I knew that was merely a figment of my imagination.

My heart pounded ferociously against my ribcage.

The time was drawing near.

Damn, it was going to be so cliche, but if it worked, then to hell with originality.

"If anyone objects to this union," came the bad attempt at Japanese, "May they speak now or else forever hold their peace."

Silence.

_This wasn't how it was supposed to go._

I looked at Haruhi. It was supposed to be _her_ job to object, because we wanted her to make up for what happened the first time, but she was frozen.

I looked at Kaoru. He was supposed to be the backup plan, since he was the rational one and hadn't been the one to crash our carriage the first time around. But he was frozen too.

_They owe me for this,_ I thought.

I may have been the one to crash the carriage, but this time I wasn't going to let it happen again. I flew out of my seat.

"I do!" I shouted. "I object!"

The boss' blue-violet eyes met mine. "Hikaru?" he exclaimed in shock.

"Boss, come back to Ouran!" I insisted. "You know you never wanted to leave! Kaoru and I would be nothing without you, don't you understand that? Don't throw the rest of your life away! We need you!"

"B-But you always act like you'd rather not be in the Host Club. Isn't that… isn't that contradictory?"

"Boss, haven't you figured it out yet?" I smiled. "We _are_ contradictory."

He and Eclair were staring in my direction. I felt Haruhi and Kaoru staring at me from the other side. We were going to get him this time, we had to! It had to work!

But I heard shouts for security, and soon I was being ushered towards the door.

"Hikaru!" screamed Kaoru, running after me and lunging for my hand.

"Kaoru?!" the boss blurted.

Haruhi stood up. "No, you can't do this!" she shouted at the suit-clad security guards who were fighting to get Kaoru and I out of the room. "He has a right to object! This isn't fair! This isn't legal!"

"HARUHI!" cried the boss.

She looked at him for a moment before running after us, trying to stop the injustice that was ruining our plans and crushing me from the inside out.

But soon the three of us were on the other side of the door.

And I saw Eclair's face turn somewhat anguished, as if she didn't want this to happen.

The last thing I saw was the boss reaching out a hand, trying to reach us, before the door slammed shut in front of me.

Locked.

Forever.

Is this what drowning feels like?


	15. Fourteen Teary Eyes

**A/N: lol plot twist am I right?**

**Okay, you've all been waiting as patiently as possible, so here you go, chapter fourteen! Going to push for a little longer than I said previously, so expect roughly 17 chapters. Sorry to say that's only three away... Anywaaaay, enjoy! :D Thanks for your continued support!**

* * *

**Fourteen Teary Eyes**

"...Where's Tama-chan?" I could just barely hear Honey-senpai whisper off to my left.

"Not here," was my quiet response. "Never again."

The infamous first-year trio gazed at the extravagant, pale pink double doors in front of us in utter disbelief and denial. On the other side of the door, there was complete silence.

There was a level of stillness on our side of the door too, but inside, all I heard was screaming.

Because we had been so close.

Because we had him.

But we lost him.

Again.

Kaoru clasped my quivering hand in his.

It was my still-sore right hand, but I found the desperation hurt much worse than his grasp.

Mori-senpai began to lead us away from the door, saying, "Come on, let's go."

Haruhi remained frozen there, so I took her hand and pulled her off with us as we dragged ourselves away from ground zero. Meanwhile, I continued to drown in my own indignation and attempted to suppress the violent shrieks inside me. I could no longer feel Kaoru's hand in my own, as much as I longed to; I couldn't feel anything but Mori-senpai's firm but gentle hold on my shoulder.

It was a gut feeling that I couldn't shake, or perhaps the sting of a sharp dagger in my side.

I was drifting into a dark place, a bottomless pit of horror, perhaps too much horror for what it was. We were outside on the front steps now; I could feel the cool breeze of early spring rushing across my skin. I removed my suit jacket and laid it across my lap, letting the clean air into my lungs and prying Kaoru's hand off of my own, as it was beginning to hurt.

I looked over my shoulder to find the three of us alone, though I had no idea where Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai had gone. Kaoru prodded for my attention and gestured to Haruhi, who was seated to my left, still completely frozen as she had been for a while.

"Haruhi?" I coaxed lightly.

"Just take me home," she cried, a mere trembling silhouette of the Haruhi I knew.

"We can't go home yet," I insisted. "We're not going home until we get the boss back!"

"Face it, Hikaru," my brother urged. "We failed."

I covered my face with my hands.

"Come on," he continued, pulling my suit jacket back on. "Let's go inside and find the others."

I wasn't about to accept our losses and carry on as if everything were normal. There had to be another way.

We reentered the building, greeted by the bright white walls and pale pink decor, and by Anne-Sophie, who was flanked only by Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai; no Kyoya in sight.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to the blonde woman in front of me. "We failed."

"I know. We were watching a security camera. ...It's not your fault," she responded with a shake of her head, her hair framing the sides of her face.

"She's right," Haruhi muttered. "It's _my_ fault." Before I could stop myself, I had one arm over her shoulder and the other (the messed up one, no less) over Kaoru's.

"We need to stop," I insisted. "Nobody's to blame, right?"

"Right," interjected Anne-Sophie with a smile. "If nothing more, you all still have each other. And I'm glad I got to meet you."

_"Hikaru, Kaoru, Haruhi, Mori-senpai, Honey-senpai!"_

We all turned in the direction of the jubilant cries headed in our direction.

It was him.

He bolted towards us, immediately being bombarded by Honey-senpai before practically strangling the first-year trio to death in a giant hug.

Not one of us spoke - not at first, but he spoke a mile a minute.

"I can't believe it's really you! All of you, here, in France, for me, oh, it's so magical I could-"

He finally met the gaze of another pair of blue-violet eyes, framed by locks of blonde hair that struck a chord within him too deep for anything - or anyone, for that matter - else to reach.

"...M- Mom?"

I felt my lungs open up again upon the boss' release of my airways, and soon he was in tears, arms wrapped around his mother.

Until then, I'd never seen the boss cry.

At least, not legitimately like this.

"I never thought Eclair would keep her promise," he blubbered. "I didn't think I'd really see you again."

"Actually, you have your friends to thank for this," explained Anne-Sophie.

"Yeah, boss," I teased, my heart ready to burst with jubilance.

"We came all this way for you, after all," finished Kaoru.

Honey-senpai cheered, "Yay, Tama-chan! Tama-chan!" And Mori-senpai gave a smile; vague, but there nonetheless.

Tamaki-senpai laughed uncontrollably in the midst of his ecstasy, but it seemed like something was wrong. However, he spun Haruhi around and beamed, "I'm so glad to see all of you! And I'm glad my Haruhi is okay!"

She laughed despite his reference to her fall from the bridge, which I knew she didn't like to think about. When he released her, Haruhi straightened her bright red tie and chimed, "Well, we're all glad you're finally back, senpai. Even me!"

"Does the Host Club really mean that much to all of you?" the blonde idiot wondered aloud, his twinkling eyes darting between the five of us. His eyes stopped on me. "...Do you really mean what you said back there?"

"Well, yeah," I answered. "But that's a story for the ride home… you _are_ coming back to Ouran with us, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. Actually, Eclair didn't seem to be too upset about, which surprised me… Though, if I'm leaving…" He looked to his mother, who merely grinned even brighter and hugged her son before assuring him,

"As much as both of us wish it didn't have to be this way, you can't stay here with me. I would much rather you go back to Japan with all of your wonderful friends. You understand that, don't you?"

"Y-Yes, Mom."

Haruhi appeared to be on the brink of tears, but I chose not bring it up. Anne-Sophie continued, "I'll let you go now, Tamaki. Okay?"

"Yes, Mom. I love you." We watched him hug her goodbye.

"I love you too." She turned and began to hurry off, but not before turning and waving to all of us. Soon, she was gone, as suddenly as she had appeared in our lives.

The boss wiped a stray tear from his cheek, seemingly torn between running after his mother so he'd never have to say goodbye again and brushing it off for something else.

He chose the latter option.

"Now, something's been bothering me for the past fifteen minutes or so," he stated bluntly. "Where's Kyoya?"

Truth is, nobody knew.

So we went looking for him.

During our search of the building, I checked my watch consistently, subconsciously counting down the hours until the graduation ceremony. It wasn't even noon, so there was still plenty of time, but in the heat of the moment I found that every small detail got under my skin.

Despite the obvious concern for Kyoya-senpai, there was a roaring fire of contentment that burned through the Host Club with a kind of warmth I didn't find in anything else.

When we found him, it spread like wildfire.

He was leaning against the wall of some uninhabited hallway, shrouded in darkness that only one certain blonde could break.

"Kyoya!"

There was a sudden shift in Kyoya-senpai's posture, the wall of empty blackness around him penetrated by his best friend's long-awaited voice. He turned his head, a subtle rotation that revealed the stormclouds that had ceased to rain and only thunder until they met the blue-violet orbs down the hall.

And then the rain began again, but this time it was like a good rain after a drought, a gentle but steady shower that smoothed things over once and for all.

"Tamaki!"

There was the collision that almost sounded painful, the reunion for which a brief and frantic phone call had failed to suffice.

"I've missed seeing your stupid face," mused the bespectacled Shadow King. "I figured I wouldn't see it again. All of us did, really."

"Aw, Kyoyaaa!" chimed the boss. "I missed you guys too!"

"Come on, let's go home," I cheered. There was a universal shout of agreement, and we were off again, soon to be bound for Japan.

I couldn't wait.

After all, the Ouran Host Club was finally together again.

And there was a lot to be shared in the coming hours.


	16. Fifteen Until the First Goodbyes

**Fifteen Until the First Goodbyes**

In the sky above France, the Ouran Host Club soared once more over the cities below. In stark contrast to our flight to Paris, the return trip to Tokyo proved rather pleasant, and far less disturbing. At first, there was a calming silence, soon to be broken by the nonchalant question that came out of the boss' mouth.

"There's something I don't understand," it began. "Why did you come after me when you could have just restarted the Host Club on your own?"

"He still doesn't get it," mused Kyoya-senpai.

"What? What don't I get?"

Honey-senpai's face appeared over the top of his seat. He giggled and said, "Tama-chan, this wasn't about the club!"

"It wasn't?"

"No! Takashi and I are graduating, so we aren't coming back to the Host Club next year anyway. We didn't go chasing after you because of the club, we just didn't want you to leave!"

"Oh… But why?"

"Because all of us would be completely lost without you, senpai!" Haruhi exclaimed. "Don't you remember all the things we've said to you?!"

"I guess I never realized how much you all care about me," was Tamaki-senpai's only explanation.

There was only silence then for a long time, a thick silence that threatened to overtake the happiness in the air. But then Kaoru practically climbed over me and stood in the middle of the aisle, one hand on the back of my chair and the other clenched at his side.

"This isn't good enough," he stated bluntly. "Do you know how much I beat myself up about this? This isn't closure, this- this isn't… i- it isn't…" He trailed off, clenching both of his fists tighter.

I stood up and said, "I think what Kaoru's trying to say is that we've flown halfway around the world for this and all we can do is sit here in silence. Dammit, we're the Ouran Host Club, and we can't even keep up a beautiful conversation."

"I barely ate for a couple weeks," Haruhi admitted from the back, getting the hint.

"I stopped eating cake!" giggled Honey-senpai. "And I didn't bring Usa-chan!"

"Yeah," Mori-senpai murmured.

"This has all made me realize," I began, "that the Host Club was the best thing to ever happen to us. Kaoru and I, our world is so much bigger now. We're all so much better off with you around, boss."

"I can't be here forever," the boss pointed out. "What will you do when I graduate?"

"When the time comes, we'll all have to say our goodbyes," said Kyoya-senpai. "After all, we're about to say goodbye to two of our members. But on good terms, not a continent apart."

"And that's what I'm afraid of," cried Kaoru, white-knuckled with trembling fists. "Saying goodbye. I know things can't stay the same forever, but I'm afraid of what will happen when everything turns back into that same grubby pumpkin!"

"We have each other, Kaoru, we'll be okay," I tried to reassure him.

"No, Hikaru, you saw what was happening to us!"

I was starting to understand now.

The pumpkin. That was it all along. Kaoru was afraid of things changing because he liked things the way they were now. He wanted me to grow up but didn't want to lose me. He liked the level of contradictory individuality we shared, and he didn't want that to change in either direction.

Kaoru may be good at taking care of me, but he's terrible at taking care of himself.

"The Host Club is a family, and no matter what happens to its members, that won't change," the boss decided.

"And he finally understands," sighed Kyoya-senpai.

"Does he?" I questioned him.

Kyoya-senpai smirked. "Well enough for me."

Haruhi called, "Guys, I'm exhausted, what time is it in Japan?"

"Two in the morning," was the Shadow King's response. "We should all get some rest. It's been an incredibly long day. We'll be in Japan before we know it."

Nobody protested. He made me realize how tired I had become. We settled into our seats, Tamaki-senpai behind Kaoru and I, Kyoya-senpai to our right, Haruhi a couple rows behind him and Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai in front of us. Kaoru and I were surrounded by our only real friends in the world, and that notion helped lull me to sleep. I dozed off with my twin brother by my side, but not before uttering, "I miss Ouran," and I heard a few murmurs of agreement before I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up at the hands of Kyoya-senpai, dawn was streaming through the window.

"We're here."

I lifted my head off of Kaoru's shoulder, and I could smell the Tokyo air blowing through the open hatch. We were home, together; and it was beautiful.


	17. Sixteen Years Old and Counting

**A/N: Okay, I have a few things to say before you continue.**

**One, a great big thank you to every single one of you reading this! Whether you're a frequent reviewer, someone I know outside of the internet, or even if you're just a little anonymous viewer behind a screen somewhere, you are amazing! I have gotten a really incredible level of support on this, far more than I ever expected, and it's because of you guys that I got this far.**

**Two, I have to be the bad guy here and come right out and say it: this is the last official chapter. As much as I want it to continue just as much as, if not more than, you do, all good things must come to an end. But do not fret too much! Expect a short epilogue in the coming days.**

**Finally, I really just can't thank all of you enough. I'm really, really glad you're all enjoying this as much as I am. I believe writing has the power to heal, and I'd like to hope that your day gets a little bit brighter when you get to read this. :) You guys are great, and I hope you find this final (official) chapter to be as good as you'd hoped.**

**Okay, I'll shut up so you can read! :)**

**~Mugsy Lennon**

* * *

**Sixteen Years Old and Counting**

Goodbyes like this are bittersweet. Two years ago, I just wanted to kill some time. I never thought the Host Club would take Kaoru and I this far. I sure didn't expect to be wandering the ruins of Music Room #3 at four in the afternoon, wearing the off-white suit and red tie that had been our attire for much of the Ouran Fair.

Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai had already gone off to get ready for the impending ceremony while the rest of us began to straighten up the club room, which had gone untouched since the night of the fair. Tamaki-senpai continuously inquired as to what had happened to the place, but none of us had an answer we were willing to give. Eventually he either gave up or realized why we had trashed the place, because he stopped asking.

A powerful motor rumbled beneath the tea-stained floor, out of which Renge rose on her pedestal, cackling jubilantly.

"The handsome men of the Host Club, back again at last!" she swooned. "And the story just keeps getting more and more interesting!"

"I hope you're keeping Haruhi's secret, Renge," warned Kyoya-senpai with his eyes buried in notebook as usual.

"Oh, I wouldn't tell for the world!"

The boss blew a gasket, and I struggled to conceal a smirk. "WHAT?!" he boomed to Haruhi. "YOU _TOLD_ HER?"

Haruhi shrugged him off and scolded, "Hey, if it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be standing here! Now be quiet!"

"Yes, Haruhi…"

The short brunette laughed and beamed, "I love all you damn rich people."

The ceremony started promptly at five o'clock and ran until the sun had just begun to dip below the Tokyo horizon. As the five of us strolled to Music Room #3, where we were to meet our two departing members, I got lost in my own thoughts. Somewhere in Paris, Anne-Sophie de Grantaine and Lady Eclair Tonnerre, while they were so different in disposition, had one thing in common: They both were who they were as of that day because of Tamaki Suoh. And despite the fact that they would likely never see him again, it would be worth it. I began to feel the same way about having to say goodbye to another piece of the Host Club year by year. Because the Host Club was no longer a high school club; it was my real family, a part of my existence that wouldn't cease to exist because of graduation.

Despite the inevitability of goodbye, I found myself laughing aloud, and that laughter spread through my four companions around me. After all, we were together, club or no club. Hell, I was only sixteen, but Kaoru and I already had the whole world in the palms of our hands, and a bright future ahead of us, all thanks to the Host Club.

However, on the forefront of my mind remained my recollection of Honey-senpai's valedictorian speech.

He was substantially too short to be seen from very far, though his eyes were on us nearly the whole time. I listened intently, absorbing every word out of his mouth as if his surprising insight were keeping me alive.

_"I didn't plan a speech," it had begun, "but I do have a lot to say about Ouran. When I entered Ouran Academy, I gave up the things I really loved for what I thought would make people respect me even though I'm small. But I began to make friends who showed me it's perfectly okay to be who I am._

_ "My best friends are all in a club with me - or, well, I guess they were. Even though it can't always be like that, I've learned that you can never really lose the friends you make once they've made an impact on you like they did for me._

_ "If I had to sum up everything I've learned in the past three years, I guess I would just say that nothing will ever be more valuable than the friendships you make. You can't underestimate the importance of being true to who you are. I learned so much about myself and about my friends while I was at Ouran, and that I guess is what I will never forget about Ouran Academy, because my time here was so special to me, and I hope that everyone who ever comes through here can say the same thing about themselves._

_ "Can anybody find their home? Because I believe I really have, and that in the end is what's important to me."_

Everyone had stood and applauded then, including myself, and it was as though everyone in attendance was unified by one universal appreciation for valedictorian Mitsukuni Haninozuka and the wisdom nobody ever really knew he possessed.

And now, as we stood waiting at the window in Music Room #3, I could still feel that warmth down to my fingertips.

Honey-senpai burst through the door, trailed by Mori-senpai, with a celebratory grin that spread from ear to ear. "Tama-chan, Haru-chan, Kyo-chan, Kao-chan, Hika-chaaaan!" he cheered.

We were there, together, smiling. Happy.

It felt good.

Kyoya-senpai ushered us out the door, instructing us to head outside where the fun was taking place.

"What's the hurry?" asked Haruhi.

His reply was, "Seeing as the last school event didn't work out for us… we should try again, don't you agree?"

The deafening bursts of fireworks were ringing out over my head as the festivities commenced once the sun had gone down. The night sky was clear, perfect for an evening of celebration. Beside me was Kaoru, one arm propped up on my shoulder. We stood watching the other hosts enjoy themselves, and that in turn filled me with a sense of joy I didn't know I could feel.

My heart swelled at the sight of the boss swinging Haruhi around while Kyoya stood by and watched with a smile. He set the brunette free and began to fawn over his calculating vice president, and this caused Haruhi to laugh.

Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai were roaming the crowds of students, who doted on them as their customers always would.

"I'm gonna miss them," Kaoru mused with a sigh of contentment, breaking the silence between us.

"Yeah, I am too," I told him. "But we won't forget them and they won't forget us."

Kaoru shot me a smile.

The seven of us were together again, and everyone seemed happier than they'd ever been.

And I was surprised to find that I was too.

_Can anybody find their home?_

Haruhi ran up to us. "Come on, join in the fun," she urged, smiling hugely and beckoning for us to follow her. "This is what we've been waiting for, isn't it?"

The night had gone by much faster than I would have liked, and I was not going to let it slip through my fingers like I would have two years before.

Even if this was the last hurrah before we had to say goodbye, it wasn't the end. Contact would not be lost, not as each year would pass and graduations would go by. I wasn't going to let anything ruin the only thing I ever called home.

There, I said it.

They really are like a family to me just like I know they always have been to Kaoru. As the night passed by and the fireworks shed some light on reality, I gained a newfound appreciation for the people who hadn't left me behind.

Or perhaps it was there all along, and it just took me so long to realize it.

The Host Club would always be the seven of us, whether it was in Ouran Academy or when we were miles and miles apart. Because it was not just a club. It's the only place I have ever really belonged.

I'm home.

And the carriage rolls on.


	18. EPILOGUE: Cherry Blossoms

**EPILOGUE: Cherry Blossoms**

It was April. The cherry blossoms surrounding the school had just begun to bloom, seemingly more beautiful than in previous years. But beauty was always fleeting, and in a much similar fashion our time with the Host King and his Shadow King counterpart was dwindling. Kaoru, Haruhi, and I still didn't know who would take control after they were gone, or in the years to come for that matter. None of us knew if we would even find two new members this year. For all we knew, the Ouran Host Club could have been nearing its final days. However, whether it lived on after the infamous trio was long gone did not make a difference in the effect the club had on us while we were in it.

A single cherry blossom dropped at my feet. I tilted my head up to look at the pink clouds that rained petals onto the courtyard below, mulling it all over in my mind; how could we make the most of the year ahead of us before time was up?

"Hey," prodded the voice of my brother, cutting off my train of thought and sending me plummeting back into reality. I turned to face him, shielding my eyes from the sun that still reigned overhead. He brushed a pale pink blossom off of his freshly washed and ironed blazer. "If we don't get going, we're going to be late."

I straightened my tie and replied, "Yeah, you're right. Let's get going."

Hand in hand, I took the familiar stroll across campus with Kaoru as the two of us always did, surrounded by dancing cherry blossoms, sure signs of the fragility of time.

Not a word was spoken as we made our way to the south wing of Ouran Academy, though perhaps there was nothing really to be said. The soles of our black dress shoes emitted a clacking sound with every step up to the top floor of the building and down to the end of the northern hallway. We came to a stop directly in front of double doors the color of the flowers outside. I reached out a hand, but stopped when the clock tower outside rang out, signaling that three o'clock had arrived. My hand made contact with the doorknob, sending waves of warmth into my fingertips that spread throughout my whole body when Kaoru's hand appeared on the other doorknob beside it.

And whose mouth the words came out of that time around fails me to this day.

"Let's open the doors together."

"Ready…"

"Set…"

_...Go._


End file.
